The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled for the 6th of April. It is the third race of the 2014 season. It’s going to be broadcast on Star Sports at 8:30, yes it is going to clash with the cricket T20 world cup final. I strongly suggest you call dibs on your television sets asap.
The first race in the country took place in 2004. It was also the first Grand Prix to be hosted in the middle east. This is, the tenth year of the Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2014 installment of the Bahrain Grand Prix will be a night race, to commemorate the tenth anniversary. This move is also partly to shift the race to an optimum time for F1’s large European audience. It will be the second Formula One night race in the calender after the Singapore Grand Prix.
The organisers of the Bahrain Grand Prix have named the first corner of the track after former seven-time champion German driver Michael Schumacher in honor of his achievements and in support of his recovery following his near fatal skiing accident in December 2013. Michael Schumacher took the podium and set the fastest lap in the first ever Bahrain Grand Prix back in 2004. This is the second corner in a race track to be named after the legend. The other is a corner at the Nurburgring called ‘Schumacher S’.
Sebastian Vettel has won the 2012 and 2013 editions of the Bahrain Grand Prix. However, the defending champion is facing some car trouble. Nico Rosberg is on pole and team mate Lewis Hamilton following in second. The Mercedes’ are followed by Fernando Alonso’s Ferrari and Nico Hulkenberg’s Force India car. Jenson Button’s Mclaren and iceman Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari will be starting from row three. It is extremely heartening to see Force India qualify so well!
The Bahrain Grand Prix is sponsored by Gulf Air. Although alcohol beverages are legal in Bahrain, drivers do not spray traditional champagne on the podium, instread they spray a non-alcoholic rosewater drink known as Waard. A characteristic of this track is the giant run off areas, which have been criticized as being too forgiving to drivers if they make a mistake. The Sakhir circuit is in the middle of the desert, and even light winds blew sand onto the course. This problem was solved by spraying adhesive in the surrounding area, binding the sand grains together.
