The Bahrain International Circuit () is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 Series (now FIA Formula 2), and the annual Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first Formula One race held in the Middle East. Beginning in 2006, Australian V8 Supercars raced at the BIC, with the event known as the Desert 400. However, the V8 Supercars did not return for the 2011 V8 Supercar season. 24 Hour endurance races are also hosted at BIC. The circuit has a FIA Grade 1 license. The circuit also has multiple layouts.
History
left|thumb|Satellite view of the circuit as it appeared in November 2017
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. TRL was asked to build the circuit, headed by Patrick Brogan.
Race organizers were worried that the circuit would not be complete in time for the 2004 Bahrain 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.
After the 2004 race and ahead of the 2005 race the track was realigned at turn four, decreasing the circuit's overall length by 5 metres in total.
At the 2009 Grand Prix, BIC announced a collaboration with to develop land next to the circuit. is part of the Mumtalakat group of companies. will dedicate more than 1 million square meters of business, entertainment and educational space with a value in excess of US$2bn (BHD 850million), making it one of the largest investment projects to take place in Bahrain in the past five years.
In 2011 the circuit was scheduled to be the first GP of the season. However, due to civil unrest in the country the race had to be cancelled in March 2011. On 4 June the FIA announced that the race would be scheduled for 30 October, the original slot for the inaugural Indian Grand Prix, which would be shifted to a season-closing date on 11 December. However, two days later following concerns from teams and other officials, the race organizers officially cancelled the race, choosing to focus their attention on the 2012 running. The 2012 Formula One calendar had the race scheduled for 22 April, the fourth of the season. During pre-season testing for the 2024 Formula 1 season, the second morning session was halted by a red flag and later cancelled as a drain cover in the approach to turn 10 of the circuit had been dislodged by Charles Leclerc's SF-24.
Construction and design
left|thumb|Sakhir Tower
The circuit was designed by German architect Hermann Tilke, the same architect who designed the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The main contractor for the project was Cebarco-WCT. The circuit cost approximately 56.2 million Bahraini Dinars (US$150 million) to construct. It has six separate tracks, including a test oval and a drag strip.
The surface of the track is made of graywacke aggregate, shipped to Bahrain from Bayston Hill quarry in Shropshire, England. The surface material is highly acclaimed by circuit bosses and Formula 1 drivers for the high level of grip it offers. The same aggregate material is used at the Yas Marina Circuit, venue of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Shortly after the Formula One February 2014 testing, the first corner of the track was renamed after seven-time champion German driver Michael Schumacher in honour of his achievements and also in support after he suffered an almost fatal skiing accident late December 2013.
Track layouts
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Track
|-
|Grand Prix track
|
|1
|-
|Oasis / Inner track
|
|1
|-
|Outer track
|
|1
|-
|Paddock Circuit
|
|1
|-
|Drag Strip
|
|n/a
|-
|Oval track
|
|n/a
|-
|Endurance Circuit
|
|1
|-
|}
<gallery>
File:Bahrain International Circuit--Grand Prix Layout.svg|"Grand Prix Circuit". Used in F1 in 2004–2009, and since 2012
File:Bahrain International Circuit--Endurance Circuit.svg|"Endurance Circuit". Used in F1 in 2010
File:Bahrain International Circuit--Outer Circuit.svg|"Outer Circuit". Used in F1 in 2020 at the Sakhir Grand Prix
File:Bahrain International Circuit--Paddock Circuit.svg|"Paddock Circuit"
File:Bahrain International Circuit--Inner Circuit.svg|"Oasis / Inner Circuit"
File:Bahrain International Circuit--Flat Oval.svg|A flat oval
</gallery>
Formula One Grand Prix
thumb|The Bahrain International Circuit in 2010
The first Bahrain Grand Prix took place on 4 April 2004, making history as the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East. Bahrain fought off fierce competition from elsewhere in the region to stage the race, with Egypt, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) all hoping for the prestige of hosting a Formula One Grand Prix (the UAE would host a Grand Prix from 2009).
The Bahrain Grand Prix is usually the third race on the Formula One calendar, apart from the 2006 season, when Bahrain swapped places with the traditional opener, the Australian Grand Prix, which was pushed back to avoid a clash with the Commonwealth Games. In , Bahrain was moved to the fourth race. For the season Bahrain was again the pre-season testing and season opener and Formula One cars drove the full "Endurance Circuit" to celebrate F1's 'diamond jubilee'. For 2011 however F1 was set to return to racing on the original layout used between 2004 and 2009. The race was postponed and finally cancelled due to protests in the country but F1 returned to the track for the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix. 2014 saw the track host its first ever Grand Prix under lights, as the race was scheduled as a night race to celebrate the tenth year of Formula 1 at the circuit. Subsequent editions of the race have also been held at night. In 2020 the circuit hosted two Grands Prix, the Bahrain and Sakhir Grands Prix, after the calendar was revised following the COVID-19 pandemic with the latter using the Outer Circuit layout. In 2026, the race was cancelled due to the conflicts within the Middle East. [https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/five-consequences-of-f1s-double-race-cancellation/]
Series hosted
The Bahrain International Circuit hosts a number of high-profile series, including the FIA Formula One World Championship, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the FIA Formula 2 Championship, FIA Formula 3 Championship, and Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East.
In the past the circuit has hosted the FIA GT Championship, Speedcar Series, Australian V8 Supercars, GP2 Asia Series, and a one-off Bahrain Superprix involving Formula Three cars, following on from the collapsed Korea Super Prix. The first ever Formula BMW World Final took place in Bahrain.
Events
; Current
- January: World Series of Darts Bahrain Darts Masters
- November: FIA World Endurance Championship 8 Hours of Bahrain, Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East, Legends of Le Mans
- December: Ferrari Challenge Middle East
; Future
- Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix (2004–2010, 2012–2025, 2027)
; Former
- Bahrain Superprix (2004)
- F4 Saudi Arabian Championship (2025)
- Ferrari Challenge Asia-Pacific (2020)
- Ferrari Challenge Europe (2019)
- FIA Formula 2 Championship Sakhir Formula 2 round (2017–2025)
- FIA Formula 3 Championship (2022–2025)
- FIA GT Championship
- Bahrain Supercar 500 (2005)
- FIA GT Nations Cup (2018)
- Formula BMW Asia (2004–2005)
- Formula BMW World Final (2005)
- Formula One
- Sakhir Grand Prix (2020)
- Gulf 12 Hours (2021)
- GP2 Series
- Bahrain GP2 round (2005, 2007, 2012–2015)
- GP2 Asia Series (2008–2010)
- GP3 Series (2015)
- MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship (2013–2019)
- Porsche Supercup (2006–2010, 2012)
- Speedcar Series (2008–2009)
- TCR International Series (2016–2017)
- TCR Middle East Series (2017–2018)
- V8 Supercars
- Desert 400 (2006–2008, 2010)
- World Series Formula V8 3.5 (2017)
- World Touring Car Cup
- FIA WTCR Race of Bahrain (2022)
Lap records
As of April 2026, the fastest official race lap records at the Bahrain International Circuit are listed as:
<!--Official lap records are set during races only. Qualifying laps do not count.-->
{| class="wikitable"
!Category !! Driver Time !! !! Vehicle !! Event !! Date
|-
! colspan=6 | Grand Prix Circuit (2005–present):
|-
| F1 || 1:31.447 || Pedro de la Rosa || McLaren MP4-20 || 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix || 3 April 2005
|-
| LMP1 || 1:41.511 || Lucas di Grassi || Audi R18 || 2016 6 Hours of Bahrain || 19 November 2016
|-
| GP2 || 1:43.166 || Yu Kanamaru || Dallara T12 || 2017 Sakhir Formula V8 round || 18 November 2017
|-
| GP3 || 1:48.228 || Luca Ghiotto || Dallara GP3/13 || 2015 Sakhir GP3 round || 21 November 2015
|-
| LMP2 || 1:48.579 || Paul di Resta || Oreca 07 || 2019 8 Hours of Bahrain || 14 December 2019
|-
| LMH || 1:48.926 || Sébastien Buemi || Toyota GR010 Hybrid || 2021 6 Hours of Bahrain || 30 October 2021
|-
| FIA F3 || 1:50.261 || Dino Beganovic || Dallara F3 2019 || 2024 Sakhir Formula 3 round || 2 March 2024
|-
| LMDh || 1:51.016 || Neel Jani || Porsche 963 || 2023 8 Hours of Bahrain || 4 November 2023
|-
| GT1 (GTS) || 1:56.478 || Jamie Davies || Maserati MC12 GT1 || 2005 FIA GT Bahrain Supercar 500 || 25 November 2005
|-
| LM GTE || 1:56.942 || Bent Viscaal || Dallara Formulino Pro || 2019 Sakhir MRF Challenge round || 13 December 2019
|-
| GT3 || 2:00.675 || Harry King || Porsche 911 (992 I) GT3 Cup || 2023 1st Sakhir Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East round || 4 March 2023
|-
| GT2 || 2:01.821 || Louis Prette || Ferrari 488 Challenge || 2019 Sakhir Ferrari Challenge Europe round || 17 February 2019
|-
| Formula 4 || 2:05.437 || Suleiman Zanfari || Tatuus F4-T421 || 2023 F4 Saudi Arabian Trophy || 15 December 2023
|-
| Stock car racing || 2:06.825 || Heinz-Harald Frentzen || Speedcar V8 || 2009 1st Sakhir Speedcar Series round || 23 January 2009
|-
| V8 Supercars || 2:06.9097 || Shane van Gisbergen || Ford FG Falcon || 2010 Desert 400 || 27 February 2010
|-
| Formula BMW || 2:09.405 || Salman Al Khalifa || Mygale FB02 || 2005 Sakhir Formula BMW Asia round || 3 April 2005
|-
| TCR Touring Car || 2:11.155 || Norbert Michelisz || Hyundai Elantra N TCR || 2022 WTCR Race of Bahrain || 11 November 2022
|-
| GT4 || 2:11.675 || Khaled Alahmadi || Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport || 2022 1st Sakhir Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East round || 19 March 2022
|-
! colspan=6 | Outer Circuit (2005–present):
|-
| F1 || 0:55.404 || George Russell || Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance || 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix || 6 December 2020
|-
| FIA F2 || 1:04.087 || Mick Schumacher || Dallara F2 2018 || 2020 2nd Sakhir Formula 2 round || 5 December 2020
|-
| Porsche Carrera Cup || 1:14.335 || Ayhancan Güven || Porsche 911 (991 II) GT3 Cup || 2020 3rd Sakhir Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East round || 5 December 2020
|-
| GT4 || 1:21.229 || 2020 3rd Sakhir Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East round || 5 December 2020
|-
! colspan=6 | Endurance Circuit (2005–present):
|-
| F1 || 1:58.287 || Fernando Alonso || Ferrari F10 || 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix || 14 March 2010
|-
| GP2 || 2:09.787 || Jules Bianchi || Dallara GP2/05 || 2010 2nd Sakhir GP2 Asia round || 13 March 2010
|-
| Porsche Carrera Cup || 2:32.658 || Norbert Siedler || Porsche 911 (997 II) GT3 Cup || 2010 1st Sakhir Porsche Supercup round || 13 March 2010
|-
! colspan=6 | Paddock Circuit (2004–present):
|-
| V8 Supercars || 1:24.9102 || Jason Bright || Ford BA Falcon || 2006 Desert 400 || 24 November 2006
|-
| Porsche Carrera Cup || 1:26.0140 || Darryl O'Young || Porsche 911 (997 I) GT3 Cup || 2008 Sakhir Porsche Carrera Cup Asia round || 8 November 2008
|-
| Formula BMW || 1:26.997 || Nico Hülkenberg || Mygale FB02 || 2005 Formula BMW World Final || 16 December 2005
|-
! colspan=6 | Oasis Circuit (2004–present):
|-
| Porsche Carrera Cup || 1:03.819 || Bashar Mardini || Porsche 911 (991 I) GT3 Cup || 2017 1st Sakhir Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East round || 10 March 2017
|-
| Superbike || 1:05.600 || Saeed Al Sulaiti || BMW M1000RR || 2026 2nd Sakhir Bahrain Motorcycle Championship round || 24 April 2026
|-
| Supersport || 1:08.553 || Marcos Ludeña || Yamaha YZF-R6 || 2026 1st Sakhir Bahrain Motorcycle Championship round || 6 February 2026
|-
| TCR Touring Car || 1:09.824 || Josh Files || Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK2) || 2017 Sakhir TCR Middle East round || 11 March 2017
|-
! colspan=6 | Grand Prix Circuit (2004):
|-
| F1 || 1:30.252 || Jamie Green || Dallara F304 || 2004 Bahrain Superprix || 10 December 2004
|-
| Formula BMW || 2:10.784 || Marchy Lee || Mygale FB02 || 2004 Sakhir Formula BMW Asia round || 3 April 2004
|-
|}
See also
- List of Formula One circuits