View source for Bahrain Grand Prix

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| colspan=2 style="padding:0; background:#808080; color:#fff; border-bottom:1px solid #999;" |[[Image: Circuit Bahrain.png|280px]]
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! colspan=2 |'''[[Bahrain]] Grand Prix'''
|-
| Flag                    ||   {{flagiconBahrain}}
|-
| Circuit                 ||   [[Bahrain International Circuit]] 
|-
| Laps                    ||   57 
|-
| Circuit length km       ||   5.412 
|-
| Circuit length mi       ||   3.363 
|-
| Race length km          ||   308.238 
|-
| Race length mi          ||   191.539 
|-
| First held              ||   2004
|-
| Last held               ||   2008
|-
| Most wins driver        ||   {{flagiconSpain}} [[Fernando Alonso]] (2)<br>{{flagiconBrazil}} [[Felipe Massa]](2) 
|-
| Most wins constructor   ||   {{flagiconItaly}} [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] (3) 
|-
| Current year            ||   2008 
|-
| Pole driver             ||   {{flagiconPoland}} [[Robert Kubica]] 
|-
| Pole team               ||   [[BMW Sauber]] 
|-
| Pole time               ||   1:33.096
|-
| Winner                  ||   {{flagiconBrazil}} [[Felipe Massa]] 
|-
| Winning team            ||   [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] 
|-
| Winning time            ||   1h 31m 06.970s (202.974 km/h)
|-
| Second                  ||   {{flagiconFinland}} [[Kimi Räikkönen]]
|-
| Second team             ||   [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]
|-
| Second time             ||   +3.339s
|-
| Third                   ||   {{flagiconPoland}} [[Robert Kubica]]
|-
| Third team              ||   [[BMW Sauber]]
|-
| Third time              ||   +4.998s
|-
| Fastest lap driver      ||   {{flagiconFinland}} [[Heikki Kovalainen]] 
|-
| Fastest lap team        ||   [[McLaren]]-[[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]]
|-
| Fastest lap             ||   1:33.193 
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| colspan=2 style="padding:0; background:#333333; color:#fff; border-bottom:1px solid #999;" |<videoflash>cNCqx_uLSSs|280|200</videoflash>
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The '''Bahrain Grand Prix''' (جائزة البحرين الكبرى) is a [[Formula One]] Championship race which first took place at the [[Bahrain International Circuit]] on [[4 April]] [[2004]]. 

The Bahrain Grand Prix, sponsored by [[Gulf Air]], made 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]] all hoping for the prestige of hosting a Formula One Grand Prix.

The inaugural race was given the award for the "Best Organised Grand Prix" by the FIA.  

The Bahrain Grand Prix has usually been the third race of the Formula One calendar. However, in the [[2006 Formula One season|2006 season]] it swapped places with the traditional opener, the [[Australian Grand Prix]], which was pushed back to avoid a clash with the [[2006 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]].

== History ==
The building of the Sakhir track was started in 2002 with high domestic interest about the project as it gave a future to the next generation of Bahraini racers.  By the completion of the project, the Circuit soon outshadowed the Kuwait Circuit and became the center of motor sport in the Gulf ,as it held many other races such as drag races, GT races, Formula 3 races and the Australian V8 Supercar series.

The first race was in [[2004 Bahrain Grand Prix|2004]] and it was won by German driver [[Michael Schumacher]]. [[Fernando Alonso]] won the second Bahrain Grand Prix in 2005, and then became the first repeat winner of the Middle Eastern race in 2006, after a thrilling race-long battle with Michael Schumacher.  
In 2007 and 2008, Brazilian [[Felipe Massa]] won the race for [[Ferrari]].

== Characteristics ==
A characteristic of the course is the giant run-off areas, which has been criticised for not punishing drivers who stray off the track, although this has made Bahrain one of the safest tracks in the world, and tends to prevent sand getting onto the track.
   
The drivers do not spray the traditional [[Champagne (wine)|champagne]] on the podium, although alcoholic beverages are legal in Bahrain, in contrast to neighbouring Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Instead, they spray a non-alcoholic [[rosewater]] drink known as [[Waard]].

== Sponsors ==
[[Gulf Air]] have sponsored the Bahrain Grand Prix from its inaugural race in 2004 right up until the 2008 race.

== Winners of the Bahrain Grand Prix ==
===Repeat Winners (Drivers)===

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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
! Number of wins
! Driver
! Years
|-
!rowspan=2| 2
| {{flagiconBrazil}} [[Felipe Massa]]
| [[2007 Bahrain Grand Prix|2007]], [[2008 Bahrain Grand Prix|2008]]
|-
| {{flagiconSpain}} [[Fernando Alonso]]
| [[2005 Bahrain Grand Prix|2005]], [[2006 Bahrain Grand Prix|2006]]
|}

===Repeat Winners (Constructors)===

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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
! Number of wins
! Constructor
! Years
|-
! 3
| {{flagiconItaly}} [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]
| [[2004 Bahrain Grand Prix|2004]], [[2007 Bahrain Grand Prix|2007]], [[2008 Bahrain Grand Prix|2008]]
|-
! 2
| {{flagiconFRA}} [[Renault F1|Renault]]
| [[2005 Bahrain Grand Prix|2005]], [[2006 Bahrain Grand Prix|2006]]
|}


=== Year by Year ===

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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
! Year
! Driver 
! Constructor
! class="unsortable"|Location
! class="unsortable"|Report
|-
! [[2008 Formula One season|2008]]
| {{flagiconBrazil}} [[Felipe Massa]]
| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]
| [[Bahrain International Circuit|Sakhir]]
| [[2008 Bahrain Grand Prix|Report]]
|-
! [[2007 Formula One season|2007]]
| {{flagiconBrazil}} [[Felipe Massa]]
| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]
| [[Bahrain International Circuit|Sakhir]]
| [[2007 Bahrain Grand Prix|Report]]
|-
! [[2006 Formula One season|2006]]
| {{flagiconSpain}} [[Fernando Alonso]]
| [[Renault F1|Renault]]
| [[Bahrain International Circuit|Sakhir]]
| [[2006 Bahrain Grand Prix|Report]]
|-
! [[2005 Formula One season|2005]]
| {{flagiconSpain}} [[Fernando Alonso]]
| [[Renault F1|Renault]]
| [[Bahrain International Circuit|Sakhir]]
| [[2005 Bahrain Grand Prix|Report]]
|-
! [[2004 Formula One season|2004]]
| {{flagiconGermany}} [[Michael Schumacher]]
| [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]]
| [[Bahrain International Circuit|Sakhir]]
| [[2004 Bahrain Grand Prix|Report]]
|}

== Support races ==
[[Formula BMW Asia]] supported the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2004, with Hong Kong driver [[Marchy Lee]] winning both rounds.  But the series had logistical problems after the race, when the cars were delayed on their way to [[Malaysia]], missing the next event and had to reschedule the rest of the season.  [[Formula BMW Asia]] has not supported the Bahrain Grand Prix since, but the first ever Formula BMW World Final was held in Bahrain. The Porsche Supercup has supported the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 races. The GP2 Series supported the race in 2007 and a celebrity race was held in 2006 with the likes of [[Simon Webbe]] competing.

Further support for the 2008 event was provided by the [[GP2 Asia]], [[Speedcar Series]] and a series using ex-[[V8 Supercar]] Holdens badged as [[Chevrolet Lumina]]s.

== External links ==
* [http://www.bahraingp.com.bh Bahrain Grand Prix home page]
* [http://www.f1db.com/f1/page/Gulf_Air_Bahrein_Grand_Prix_2005 Bahrain Grand Prix Statistics 2005]
* [http://www.4mula1.ro/history/track/Bahrain Bahrain statistics]
* [http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Sakhir Trackpedia guide to the Bahrain Circuit]


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{{Formula One races}}

[[Category:Bahrain Grand Prix|*]]
[[Category:Formula One Grands Prix]]
[[Category:Tourism in Bahrain]]