This circuit is located in the desert outside Bahrain's capital city of Manama and, built in 2004, is one of the most modern on the F1 calendar, with the architecture said to reflect Arabian themes. The construction of the circuit was backed by the Crown Prince, a motor sport enthusiast and the Honorary President of the Bahrain Motor Federation. The track was designed by Herman Tilke, with construction costs reputed to be in the region of $150 million.

The track staged its first F1 GP in 2004, the cool weather favouring the Ferraris on their Bridgestone tyres. Schumacher headed a 1-2 finish, with the nearest challenger 30 seconds behind. The 2005 race proved to be the second of a hatrick of victories for the eventual champion Fernando Alonso.

Positioned in the middle of a desert, the circuit poses a problem not seen in F1 since the circus visited the coastal track of Zandvoort for the Dutch GP. There were initial concerns that sand could blow onto the circuit during races, but officials were able to minimise this risk by spraying an adhesive on the sand around the track.


The main challenge for the teams is to ensure they keep the fine sand out of the engine - especially important now that each engine must last 2 races. The sand also affects the track surface, making tyre choice more difficult. Drivers face a challenge too in learning the circuit - it is surrounded by open spaces, so there are few points of reference when braking.