Bahrain F1: A Race To Remember

The Bahrain Grand Prix, which takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, is a Formula One motor racing event that has been held annually since 2004, except in 2011 when it was cancelled due to the Bahraini protests. The race usually features great racing and decent amounts of overtaking, with drivers contending with wind, racing under floodlights, and temperature fluctuations. In 2023, the race was won by Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing, with his teammate Sergio Perez coming in second.

Max Verstappen wins the 2023 and 2024 races

Max Verstappen won the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, the opening round of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship. He led a Red Bull 1-2, with teammate Sergio Perez coming second and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso in third.

Verstappen led from start to finish, controlling the race from pole position. He easily held his pole advantage on the run to Turn 1, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in second place, who had started on fresh soft tyres. By lap 10, Verstappen led Leclerc by 6.5 seconds, with Perez a further 1.5 seconds back.

Leclerc's Ferrari ground to a halt on lap 41 with an engine problem, which promoted Carlos Sainz to third. However, Alonso was not to be denied a podium finish, and he took third place from Sainz with 11 laps to go.

Verstappen's win in Bahrain was his first at the circuit and his 36th Formula One victory overall.

The following year, Verstappen again won the Bahrain Grand Prix, dominating the race and leading from pole position to take the chequered flag. He beat his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in the 57-lap race under the floodlights.

Verstappen's win in the 2024 season-opener gave him an eight-point lead over Perez in the overall standings and extended his record run at the top of the championship to 40 races since May 2022.

Human rights concerns and protests

The Bahrain Grand Prix has been the subject of human rights concerns and protests since its inception in 2004. In 2011, the race was cancelled due to the Bahraini protests and reports of human rights abuses by the Bahraini authorities. Despite these concerns, the race was held as planned in 2012, which led to widespread criticism from human rights activists and Formula One teams. There have been continued reports of abuses and jailings in Bahrain relating to F1 protests, with photographers and activists being imprisoned and physically abused for their participation in protests.

Rights organisations have criticised Formula One and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for their inaction and complicity in the face of political crackdowns in Bahrain. In recent years, there has also been backlash against the decision to hold the race in Bahrain from human rights organisations and Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion. Hamilton called on Formula One to confront the human rights issues in the countries it visits.

A consortium of human rights organisations, including the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), has written to Formula One expressing their concerns. They argue that the race has become a focal point for protests and human rights abuses committed by Bahraini security forces. BIRD also claims that Formula One is performing invaluable PR for Bahrain's government and normalising human rights violations in the country. In response to these concerns, Formula One admitted to being "concerned" but has not taken any further known action.

In October 2022, a legal complaint was filed against Formula One, alleging that it turned a blind eye to human rights violations when it extended the Bahrain Grand Prix contract until 2036. The complaint was made through the British government's UK National Contact Point (NCP) and was served by BIRD and two alleged torture survivors from Bahrain, Najah Yusuf and Hajer Mansoor. Despite the ongoing concerns and protests surrounding human rights in Bahrain, the Bahrain Grand Prix continues to be a part of the Formula One calendar.

Lewis Hamilton wins five times

Lewis Hamilton has won the Bahrain Grand Prix five times, making him the driver with the most wins in this race. Hamilton won the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Hamilton's first win in Bahrain came in 2014, when the race was held as a night event under floodlights to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the first staging of the race. This was also the first time a Formula One race was held at night in the Middle East.

In 2019, Hamilton inherited the win from Charles Leclerc, who had been in the lead until an engine problem struck his Ferrari late in the race. Hamilton closed an eight-second gap within three laps and swept by for his first win of the season with nine laps to go.

The 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix was also the season opener, as the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was Hamilton's first season-opening win since the Australian Grand Prix in 2015. The race ended with an extraordinary finish, as Hamilton held off Max Verstappen's Red Bull for victory. Verstappen had taken the lead from Hamilton with four laps to go but had to hand the position back because he had gained it by running off the track.

Hamilton's win in 2020 was also a close call, as he had to measure his pace to hold off Verstappen for as long as possible while keeping his tyres in good shape for the final laps.

The inaugural 2004 race

The first Bahrain Grand Prix took place on 4 April 2004 and was the third round of the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship. It was also the first Formula One race to be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Middle East.

The race was staged at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, and consisted of 57 laps, totalling 308.769 km (191.860 mi). The race was won by Michael Schumacher, with his teammate, Rubens Barrichello, coming in second place. This was Schumacher's third straight victory of the season. Jenson Button completed the podium, finishing in third position for the BAR team.

Qualifying saw track temperatures reach almost 60°C, though this did not stop Schumacher from securing pole position. Barrichello took the second spot, with the two Williams-BMWs sharing the second row, and the BAR-Hondas claiming the third.

However, while the high temperatures did not impact Ferrari over one lap, they did play havoc with their Bridgestone tyres during long runs, causing concern ahead of the race. Fortunately for the team, a 20-degree drop in temperature on the day of the race brought the tyres back into a more comfortable operating window.

The two Ferraris pulled away smartly from the front of the grid at the start, with Schumacher and Barrichello in first and second. Behind them, Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher worked to fend off Takuma Sato, while Jarno Trulli passed Jenson Button to claim sixth place.

The race was dominated by the two Ferraris, with Schumacher ultimately claiming victory, followed by Barrichello in second. Further back, a thrilling battle unfolded between the Jaguar of Mark Webber and the Renault of Fernando Alonso, providing an exciting spectacle for the crowds.

The Bahrain International Circuit

The venue hosts over 400 events every year, including the most prestigious international, regional, and local racing series. It offers five different track layouts and is known for its large run-off areas, which are criticised for not punishing drivers who stray off the track. However, these areas help to prevent sand from getting onto the track. The circuit is regarded as one of the safest in the world, with excellent safety features, race marshal facilities, and medical facilities.

The first Bahrain Grand Prix took place on April 4, 2004, making history as the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East. Bahrain competed with Egypt, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates for the privilege of hosting the race. The inaugural race was won by Michael Schumacher, driving for Ferrari.

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