Bahrain International Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir: a modern desert circuit designed by Hermann Tilke and opened in 2004.
The Bahrain International Circuit is in Sakhir, in a desert area near the town of Zallaq. Construction began in December 2002 and the circuit opened on 17 March 2004. It was designed by the German architect Hermann Tilke.[1],[2]
It offers several configurations. The Grand Prix circuit is 5.412 km long; the Endurance circuit, used for endurance races, is 6.299 km long.[1],[2]
At a glance
| Place | Sakhir, Bahrain (desert, near Zallaq)[1],[2] |
|---|---|
| Country | Bahreïn |
| Endurance series | WEC |
| Period | 2004-present |
| Opened | 17 March 2004[1],[2] |
| Grand Prix circuit | 5.412 km[1],[2] |
| Endurance circuit | 6.299 km[1],[2] |
Landmarks of the circuit
- A circuit in the desert
- The desert brings wind-blown sand. The organisers spray an adhesive product on the sand around the track to keep it off the racing surface.[1],[2]
- The Michael Schumacher first corner
- The first corner was renamed after Michael Schumacher in early 2014.[1],[2]
Key dates
- December 2002 — Construction begins.[1],[2]
- 17 March 2004 — The circuit opens.[1],[2]
- 4 April 2004 — First Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix, the first F1 Grand Prix in the Middle East; Michael Schumacher wins for Ferrari.[1],[2]
- Since 2012 — The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) runs its Bahrain round there, first over six hours and then over eight.[1],[2]
- 2014 — First night Grand Prix, with lighting installed around the circuit.[1],[2]
- 2020 — Two Formula 1 Grands Prix are held there, one of them on the Outer Circuit.[1],[2]
In the game
This circuit is part of the Circuit game: a heavily zoomed photo of one of its landmarks that you have to recognise. Play Circuit
Sources
The numbers in brackets refer to the sources listed at the bottom of the page.