Circuit Data

Length of lap: 5.412 km

Total number of laps: 57

Total race distance: 308.238 km

Lap record: 1:31.447 (Pedro de la Rosa, McLaren 2005)

Number of gear changes per lap: 56

Number of DRS zones: 2

The Bahrain Grand Prix is raced at the Bahrain International Circuit in the city of Sakhir. It was first introduced into the Formula one calendar in 2004, and has been raced there since, with the exception of 2011 in which it was cancelled due to civil unrest in the country. It is a night race, typically raced in late March. It was F1’s first venue in the Middle East.

It is a track with a very high level of grip due to the material it is made of which is greywacke aggregate. It is considered a high speed track, and drivers are at full throttle for 72% of the lap. The most successful driver is Sebastian Vettel who has won the event 4 times. Starting from pole position has not always been beneficial for this race. The race has only been won from pole position five times, however, all race winners started the race in the top four.

This circuit got canceled at the beginning of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, it is set to be raced at twice this year in late November and early December. The second race will feature the outside track, which is typically only used for testing cars.

 

For more information, or to watch a guided lap of the track, check out this website, and the youtube clip:

Bahrain International Circuit – track information