Bahrain Grand Prix

Bahrain International Circuit Results The Circuit View All Races

Results

Race George Russell 1:35.065 Fastest Lap 57 Laps 5 th Lewis Hamilton 1:34.722 Fastest Lap 57 Laps 7 th Qualifying George Russell 1:29.485 Fastest Lap 17 Laps 3 rd Lewis Hamilton 1:29.710 Fastest Lap 18 Laps 9 th Read Race Report

The Circuit

Being the 20th addition of this race, and the fact the circuit is host to the championship’s official pre-season testing a week beforehand, drivers and teams know this destination well. The track’s asphalt is one of the most abrasive that we race on, which makes strategy a big part of the weekend. Often the undercut is a popular option for pit stops, as tyre degradation happens quicker than normal. Pirelli, F1’s official tyre supplier, have already published that the hardest three compounds of tyre - C1, C2 and C3 - will be used in Bahrain as a result of the tough track layout.

Heavy braking is needed across this 5.2km track, as well as there being high track evolution and traction. The heat and humidity play a factor for the drivers too, with hydration being a key part over the weekend. The W15 will also be pushed to its limits thanks to these factors, and in seasons gone by other teams have suffered reliability issues as a result, with overheating always a risk.

There are plenty of fantastic overtaking opportunities around the Bahrain International Circuit. With four long straights, three DRS zones, and 15 corners, there’s no shortage of inspiration for the grid to make some moves. Turn 1 is always entertaining, and in 2014 was named after seven-time champion and former Mercedes driver, Michael Schumacher. Lewis completed a sensational triple overtake here in 2018 and finished the race on the podium alongside his then-team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who was in second. Turn 4 is also a popular passing place!

Since making its debut on the calendar in 2004, nine drivers have managed to convert their pole position into the win around this track – Lewis achieving this twice. The venue will remain a part of the F1 calendar until at least 2036 after signing a contract extension, and the promoters have announced big measures in recent years to increase the environmental sustainability of the event to help reach the championship’s goals of being net zero carbon by 2030.

George Russell managed a fantastic overtake on Bottas when F1 raced on the shorter ‘outer track’ during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. This was Russell’s first race for the team when he replaced a poorly Lewis for a one-off race.

DRS Corners Speed Trap

• First GP 2004
• Circuit Length 5.412km
• Race Distance 308.484km
• Laps 57

Everything You Need To Know: Bahrain

This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Bahrain Grand Prix and is home to lots of happy memories for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, including six wins as a Constructor, six pole positions and 16 podiums.

The Bahrain International Circuit is located in the heart of the Sakhir desert and is the brainchild of renowned circuit designer Hermann Tilke, a man responsible for lots of your favourite F1 tracks. A circuit length of 5.412km and 15 complex and challenging corners, plus the intense heat, make it one of the toughest races of the year for both the team and the cars.

As a result of the hot temperatures, Bahrain is a twilight race – starting at sunset and ending under the night sky. Floodlights are situated around the track to illuminate it, with Lewis Hamilton and the Mercedes W05 winning the first night race at this circuit in 2014.

Lights out for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix happened at 18:00 local time (15:00 GMT).

For the first time in Sakhir, Qualifying was on the Friday (1 March) and the race on the Saturday (2 March) – this will be the same format as the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix the week after. This is because the Islamic holy month of Ramadan begins on Sunday, 10 March, which is the day the Saudi Arabian race would normally take place.

F1 regulations mean there must be a week between races, which is why both Grands Prix start a day earlier than normal.

Wherever we net out, the whole team is relishing the challenge ahead

Toto

Our Successes

We’ve been very successful in the past around the Bahrain International Circuit, winning six races as a team and seven as an engine supplier. Lewis has been responsible for most of those celebrations, securing victory here in 2014 and 2015, before going on to win three consecutive Bahrain races from 2019 till 2021. He still holds the record for the most F1 wins for a driver at this race track, with Nico Rosberg adding to the Mercedes win tally in 2016, and Brawn GP’s Jenson Button winning with a Mercedes engine during their 2009 campaign.

Notable wins for the team here include the duel in the desert between Lewis and Nico in 2014 where the Silver Arrows finished first and second - an achievement the team managed again in 2019.

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