Bahrain ready for F1

As excitement builds among sports fans around the world in the countdown towards the 2006 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, it is clear that the global impact will be greater than ever. The honour of hosting the first race of the new season is hugely important in terms of the prestige it bestows on the host nation, and the Kingdom of Bahrain has risen to the occasion, with a month-long programme of events that brings together a celebration of Formula One and Bahrain’s culture and community.

So far the Motosport Art Exhibition in the Bahrain National Museum, the personal appearance by Honda Racing F1 Team driver Jenson Button at the Seef Mall and the Yalla Bahrain! F1 Festival on the Manama Corniche have already drawn huge public attendances and widespread media coverage, driving enthusiasm for the race and ticket sales. These events, combined with the new regulations that govern Formula One in 2006 that have opened up the competition as never before, have captured the imagination of the world’s sporting public.

Over 120 national, regional and international journalists came to Bahrain International Circuit to cover the winter testing opportunity offered to the teams on February 13-16 and the Yalla Bahrain! programme. The test saw Scuderia Ferrari running seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, his team-mate Felipe Massa and test driver Luca Badoer in both its new 248 F1 backto- back with the an engine-restricted F2004 V10 car. Wherever Ferrari and Michael Schumacher go there is news to be found and Bahrain proved no exception - from the form of the team’s new car to the breed of Michael’s beloved pet dog!

The Honda Racing F1 Team drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello meanwhile made headlines both with their fast and reliable RA106 cars - and with the two drivers. appearances at Yalla Bahrain! events. Scuderia Toro Rosso also gained experience prior to its debut Grand Prix here in Bahrain with an engine-restricted Red Bull RB1 in the hands of Vitantonio Liuzzi and his novice team-mates Scott Speed from the USA and Swiss youngster Neel Jani.

Among the highlights of the pre-event TV coverage is a series of features on BBC World about Bahrain and the success of the Grand Prix that will be broadcast to over 270 million homes in more than 200 countries and territories every day for the week of the Grand Prix. The BBC, which holds radio broadcast rights to Formula One, also recorded features from the Formula One testing and Yalla Bahrain! for its World Service radio coverage, transmitting in 33 languages to around 150 million people.

As the countdown to the race goes on, so the Yalla Bahrain! schedule continues to highlight the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix and allows the Kingdom of Bahrain to shine in the global media spotlight. Next up on the Yalla Bahrain! calendar will be Jump Bahrain on March 10th, when a team of Parkour ‘free-runners’ cross the Manama skyline in a series of death-defying leaps - as featured on the video for Madonna’s recent smash hit ‘Hung Up’.

By the time that Jump Bahrain comes round the international media will be in place to cover the Grand Prix weekend and supporting events. In 2005 there was an international gathering of over 400 journalists for the race weekend, who between them generated coverage equivalent to $43m . of which $12.4m was within Bahrain itself. A media presence of almost 600 is expected to attend the 2006 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix as a result of its prominence on the calendar.

In 2005 the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix netted a total of 364 hours of TV coverage worldwide. That is expected to increase through 2006, including both the Grand Prix and the supporting programme of Yalla Bahrain! events, to a figure close to the 416 hours amassed for the whole two weeks of the recent Winter Olympics from Torino. Such is the importance of being the opening round of the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship.

As a result the weekend of March 10-12 will be bursting with high-profile action. Top Fuel Dragsters will perform daily on the Drag Strip, the Porsche Michelin SuperCup contenders will stage a Night Race on the Inner Circuit on Friday night and a star-studded Pro-Celebrity Race will be among the highlights. The Jump Bahrain team will also be present on Saturday and Sunday, tackling the stunning architecture of the circuit buildings and iconic Sakhir Tower.

Performances aimed at celebrating Bahrain itself will also feature strongly over the Grand Prix weekend. The Yalla Bahrain! schedule reaches its climax in the capital city Manama on Saturday 11th March with the Yalla Bahrain! Spectacular. a carnival passing through the city with music, dance, extravagant costumes and stunning floats with over 500 Bahraini children taking part. A multimedia/laser show follows in the evening beside the Shaikh Salman Bridge that ends with a colossal firework display.

Immediately before the race the Startline Presentation will set a new standard in the world of Formula One. The traditional, Arabic-themed presentation will celebrate both the rich culture and heritage of Bahrain and the spectacle of Formula One, and for the first time in its history Formula One Management will be including the festivities on its global TV feed. Then it will be time to enjoy the race: the moment towards which every effort has been focused ever since the Formula One teams left Shanghai at the end of last season.

http://www.f1technical.net/news/1911