Bahrain International Circuit 944365 223353740 2008-07-03T18:35:37Z Sfan00 IMG 4906524 Remove link - Duplicated by Geo code {{CoorHeader|26|1|57|N|50|30|38|E|type:landmark}} {{Motorsport venue| Name = Bahrain International Circuit | Location = [[Sakhir]], [[Bahrain]] | Time = [[GMT]] +3 | Image = [[Image:Circuit Bahrain.png|260px]] | Events = [[Formula One|F1]], [[GP2 Series|GP2]], [[Formula Three|F3]], [[V8 Supercars]],<br>[[Bahrain]] [[Grand tourer|GT]] Festival, [[Drag racing]] | Length_km = 5.411 | Length_mi = 3.37 | Turns = 15 | Record_time = 1:30.252 | Record_driver = {{flagicon|GER}} [[Michael Schumacher]] | Record_team = [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] | Record_year = 2004 }}The '''Bahrain International Circuit''' ([[Arabic]]: '''حلبة البحرين الدولية''') is a venue used for [[drag racing]], [[GP2 Series|GP2]], and an annual [[Formula One]] [[Bahrain Grand Prix|Grand Prix]]. For the first time in 2006, there was a [[V8 Supercar]] race, named the Desert 400, and also a 24 Hour Race. The construction of the Bahrain circuit was a national objective for [[Bahrain]], initiated by the Crown Prince, Shaikh [[Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa]]. The Crown Prince is the Honorary President of the Bahrain Motor Federation. Race organizers were worried that the circuit would not be complete in time for the 2004 [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]] and attempted to cancel the event, however [[Formula One]] supremo [[Bernie Ecclestone]] refused this request. In the end, the circuit was not quite fully complete, but was good enough for the grand prix to go ahead.<ref name="notcomplete">{{cite web |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3567433.stm|title= Bahrain 'tried to stop GP'|accessdate= 2007-04-13|date=2004-03-25|publisher = BBC News}}</ref> The circuit posed a unique problem. Positioned in the middle of a desert, there were worries that sand would blow onto the circuit and disrupt the race. However, organizers were able to keep the sand off the track by spraying an adhesive on the sand around the track.<ref name="sand">{{cite web |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/3580063.stm|title=Schumacher admits sand fear|accessdate= 2007-04-13|date=2004-03-29|publisher = BBC News}}</ref> The circuit was designed by German architect [[Hermann Tilke]], the same architect who designed the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. The circuit cost approximately [[United States dollar|US $]]150 million to construct.<ref name="circuitinfo">{{cite web |url= http://www.bahraingp.com.bh/circuit-info.html|title= Bahrain International Circuit Info|accessdate= 2006-12-17|publisher = Bahrain International Circuit}}</ref> It has six separate tracks, including a test oval and a drag strip.<ref name="circuitinfo"/> In 2007 the circuit became the first Grand Prix circuit to be awarded the distinguished FIA Institute Centre of Excellence award, given for excellent safety, race marshal, and medical facilities; and for the high standards of technology required to maintain these.<ref name="award">{{cite web |url= http://www.formula1.com/race/news/5942/772.html|title= Bahrain named Centre of Excellence by FIA|accessdate= 2007-04-13|date=2007-04-13|publisher = Formula1.com}}</ref> ==Facilities== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Track <ref name="circuitinfo"/> !Distance <ref name="circuitinfo"/> |- |Grand Prix track |5.411 [[kilometer|km]] |- |Inner track |2.55 km |- |Outer track |3.664 km |- |Paddock Circuit |3.7 km |- |Drag Strip |1.2 km |- |Oval track |2 km |- |'''Full Circuit''' |'''6.4 km''' |} ==Series Hosted== The Bahrain International Circuit hosts a number of high profile series, including the FIA [[Formula One]] World Championship, the Australian [[V8 Supercar]] Championship Series, the [[GP2 Series]], [[GP2 Asia]], [[Chevrolet Lumina Series]], [[Speedcar Series]], [[Thunder Arabia]] and [[Radical Sportscars|Radical]]. In the past the circuit has hosted the [[FIA GT Championship]], and a one-off Bahrain [[Formula 3]] Superprix. The first ever [[Formula BMW]] World Final took place in Bahrain. Also every year there is the traditional 24 Hours of Bahrain. In April 2008, there was talk of a [[NASCAR Nationwide Series]] race or an [[IndyCar Series]] race.{{Fact|date=June 2008}} ==Games Featuring Bahrain== *[[Formula One 04]] *[[Formula One 05]] *[[Formula One 06]] *[[Formula One Championship Edition]] *[[TOCA Race Driver 3]] *[[GTR - FIA GT Racing Game]] (available as add-on) ==Bahrain Grand Prix== {{main|Bahrain Grand Prix}} ==Notes and references== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.bahraingp.com.bh/ Bahrain International Circuit] * [http://www.formula1.com/races/in_detail/bahrain_789/ Circuit info from official F1 site] * [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/circuit_guide/4244345.stm BBC's circuit guide] * [http://www.bahraingp.com.bh/webcast.html] Bahrain International Circuit's Webcast * [http://watch.tsn.ca/auto-racing/clip42140#clip42140 TSN Track Walkthrough] <!--NO MORE EXTERNAL LINKS--> {{V8 Supercar tracks}} {{Formula One circuits}} [[Category:Formula One circuits]] [[Category:Bahrain Grand Prix]] [[Category:Motorsport venues in Bahrain]] [[Category:Drag racing venues]] [[Category:V8 Supercar tracks]] [[ar:حلبة البحرين الدولية]] [[bg:Сакхир]] [[ca:Circuit de Bahrain]] [[cs:Sakhir]] [[de:Bahrain International Circuit]] [[es:Circuito Internacional de Bahréin]] [[fr:Circuit international de Sakhir]] [[gl:Circuíto Internacional de Bahrain]] [[id:Sirkuit Internasional Bahrain]] [[it:Circuito di Manama]] [[lv:Bahreinas Starptautiskā trase]] [[lt:Trasa Sakhir]] [[hu:Bahrain International Circuit]] [[ms:Litar Antarabangsa Bahrain]] [[nl:Bahrein International Circuit]] [[ja:バーレーン・インターナショナル・サーキット]] [[no:Bahrain International Circuit]] [[pl:Bahrain International Circuit]] [[pt:Bahrain International Circuit]] [[ru:Сахир]] [[sk:Bahrain International Circuit]] [[sl:Bahrain International Circuit]] [[fi:Bahrain International Circuit]] [[zh:巴林国际赛道]]