Who will win the Gulf game in F1?

Despite the quality of the spectacle offered for twenty years and its extension until 2036, the pioneer of Grands Prix in the Middle East could lose its status as the opening round of the calendar.

Published on 10/03/2023 à 18:15

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Bin Sulayem and Domenicali surround the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa © Xavi Bonilla / DPPI

How did Bahrain find its place on the calendar?

Difficult for a small island of 765 km2 landlocked between Saudi Arabia and Qatar to really exist in such a competitive Middle East. So, at the beginning of the century, King Hamad II sought all possible levers to develop his country and make it known on the international scene. Sport has always been a special sounding board. This is how in 2003, Bernie Ecclestone, the former big financier of the Formula 1, toujours intéressé par de