For two decades, the Bahrain International Circuit, with its instantly recognisable Sakhir Tower backdrop, has been a landmark not just on the map, but in the hearts of Bahrain’s citizens and residents.
Bahrain Grand Prix has held a place of immense pride since its 2004 debut, as the first-ever Formula 1 circuit in the Middle East – truly living up to its title as ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’. This pioneering vision of His Royal Highness Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Kingdom of Bahrain has helped shape the entire narrative of F1 in the region.
Marking a historic milestone, BIC CEO Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa spoke to Life & Style about his vision for the next chapter of the Bahrain International Circuit and more.
Our heartiest congratulations on the grand success of the 20th anniversary of the exhilarating, adrenaline-packed Bahrain Grand Prix. The anticipation for this year’s season opener was off the charts as Bahrain saw a record number of visitors for this completely sold-out race. What were the high points of the weekend for you?
Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa: As you said, there were many high points. We welcomed a crowd of 100,000 for the three days of the Bahrain GP which included a record 37,000 people on race day alone. We also had 11,000 fans from overseas, which was our highest ever.
I think that seeing the reaction of these fans, whether that be the on-track action, the family entertainment or the concerts, is always extremely rewarding. Ultimately, we are putting on a show for fans here at the circuit and the millions watching at home. If they leave with memories of a lifetime, then that is something that will always satisfy me.
We know there are usually a lot of moving parts when it comes to hosting such mammoth international events. The BIC, however, seems to run like a well-oiled machine, what has it taken to get to this point, what challenges have you successfully tackled?
It takes a lot of hard work and dedication from our fantastic team at the circuit, along with a lot of coordination and cooperation with our incredible partners in the Bahrain government, including ministries and other relevant agencies. Furthermore, we have a lot of support from the private sector as well, and we, of course, could not do it without our close relationship with the Bahrain Motor Federation and all those under its umbrella, including the Motorsport Marshals Club and the scores of volunteers. We also work closely with the FIA and F1 throughout the entire organisation and running of the event.
With such a massive operation like this, there will always be challenges, but we deal with them swiftly and efficiently and we do it with our partners.
Was the race result something you expected and what are your predictions for the season?
It was a tremendous victory for Max Verstappen and Red Bull and we congratulate them on their one-two. It is still very early in the championship to make predictions as there are 23 rounds to go. While Red Bull has shown their class, all the teams will certainly show improvements over the year. It’s also worth noting that some circuits are more suited to some teams compared to others. I think there will be plenty to keep fans on the edge of their seats throughout the season.
We believe most of your career has been in motorsports – what drew you to racing?
I’ve always loved racing. From a young age, I’ve enjoyed the thrill of motorsport and the adrenaline rush of racing and competing against others. It will always be a part of me and I will always enjoy it.
What is your vision for the future of the BIC? Continuously innovating and creating new avenues to engage audiences with motorsports and the BIC, like the recent partnership with Winfield Racing School, is a significant accomplishment. What fuels your inspiration and energy for such initiatives?
We want to keep building in all ways that we can and the Winfield partnership is a great example of that. This will enable us to further develop our driver programme, to find the stars of the future in the region.
In F1, we have a contract to be on the calendar until at least 2036, so we hope to continue growing our race and what we can offer to fans. We also have a long-term contract with the World Endurance Championship. Its Hypercar category is growing to be one of the most exciting in all of racing and hosting the Spirit of Le Mans each year is also an honour and great privilege for any track.
The future of BIC is truly very exciting and the best is still to come!
Check out our story of the 20th-anniversary celebrations of the Bahrain GP!
