Circuit info
Bahrain International Circuit
Interesting facts
The circuit was built in the Sakhir desert to a design by Hermann Tilke, completed on an accelerated schedule in under 18 months (October 2002 to March 2004); the 2004 Bahrain Grand Prix was the first Formula 1 World Championship race held in the Middle East. The Grand Prix layout is 5.412 km long with 15 turns; Bahrain International Circuit offers five different track configurations, more variety than any other venue. In 2020, Romain Grosjean's Haas hit the barrier at around 192 km/h on the straight after Turn 3, splitting the car in two and igniting a fireball; he spent roughly 28 seconds in the flames before escaping, ultimately suffering only burns to his hands, with the halo device credited for protecting him. The 2011 race was cancelled outright because of the Bahraini uprising, part of the wider Arab Spring, and holding the event again in 2012 proved just as controversial, with human rights groups documenting victims of the crackdown on protesters and critics accusing Formula 1 of letting the race 'sportswash' the country's international image. In the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season Bahrain hosted two races in one year: the Sakhir Grand Prix, run on the shorter 3.543 km 'outer' layout, produced lap times under a minute for the first time since 1974; George Russell, standing in for a COVID-positive Lewis Hamilton, was on course to win until a Mercedes pit-stop mix-up cost him the lead, handing Sergio Pérez a maiden victory and ending a 50-year wait for a Mexican Grand Prix winner. Since 2014 the race has been run from dusk into night for cooler conditions and a more dramatic television picture. You'll find it in Sakhir, Bahrain. On the calendar since 2004, this circuit has hosted 22 races, the latest in 2025. Michael Schumacher took the inaugural win here in 2004. Oscar Piastri won here most recently, in 2025. The most successful driver at this circuit is Lewis Hamilton, with 5 wins. Ferrari is the dominant constructor at this circuit, with 7 wins. Michael Schumacher set the fastest lap here, 1:30.252 (Ferrari, 2004).