1102nd F1 GRAND PRIX | 20th BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX | 21st GRAND PRIX AT BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT
2023 POLESITTER: MAX VERSTAPPEN | 2023 WINNER: MAX VERSTAPPEN
Formula 1 ventured into the Middle East for the first time in 2004. The Bahrain Grand Prix has since appeared on the calendar in almost every season since and now hosts the opening race of the season. The 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix is set to take place on February 29-March 2.
2024 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Thursday February 29
Free Practice 1 – 2:30pm Local Time / 11:30am UK Time
Free Practice 2 – 6pm Local Time / 3pm UK Time
Friday March 1
Free Practice 3 – 3:30pm Local Time / 12:30pm UK Time
Qualifying – 7pm Local Time / 4pm UK Time
Saturday March 2
The 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix – 6pm Local Time / 3pm UK Time
2024 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso will make their 17th appearances at Bahrain International Circuit at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. That will see them equal Kimi Raikkonen’s record for the most starts of any driver at the track.
March 2 is the earliest date in the year on which the first race of the Formula 1 season has taken place since 1992, when the South African Grand Prix was held on March 1.
The 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix marks the first time that the first race of the Formula 1 season takes place on a day other than Sunday since 1982, when the season-opening South African Grand Prix was held on a Saturday. It’s the first time that the Bahrain Grand Prix will take place on a Saturday.
Lewis Hamilton holds the record for most victories at the Bahrain Grand Prix, with five. He could extend the record to six at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton currently shares the record for most poles in Bahrain with Sebastian Vettel. Their shared record of three poles in the country could be equalled at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix by Valtteri Bottas, Charles Leclerc or Max Verstappen.
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS TO BREAK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2024 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST YEAR?
There are no major changes to Bahrain International Circuit ahead of the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix.
After drain covers came loose during testing at the track last week, the drains at Turns 7 and 11 have been filled with concrete, while welding work has taken place at other points around the track.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2024 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX?
There will be three DRS zones at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix, located on the main straight, on the run between Turns 3 & 4 and on the final straight between Turns 13 & 14. They are in the same locations as last year.
BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT TRACK GUIDE
F1 stepped into the Middle East for the first time in 2004, with the Bahrain International Circuit hosting its first race in the Sakhir desert. Since then, the track has become host to one of the sport’s annual night races.
Situated 30km south-west of the Bahrain capital Manama, the Bahrain International Circuit is built on the site of a former camel farm. Crown Prince of Bahrain, Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, was enthusiastic for the track to be built and for the pinnacle of motorsport to visit the country – so much so that it became a national objective for the country.
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2024 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers ahead of the on-track action. The drivers appearing in the press conference for this race are:
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Alex Albon (Williams)
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams in a separate press conference over the race weekend. The team members appearing in the press conference are:
Frédéric Vasseur (Ferrari)
Zak Brown (McLaren)
Toto Wolff (Mercedes)
Laurent Mekies (RB)
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2024 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX?
Niels Wittich will be the race director at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2024 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is Derek Warwick.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2024 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli have announced that the C1, C2 and C3 tyre compounds will be used at the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. The C1, C2 and C3 compounds were used in 2023.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR AT THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX?
It was a sign of things to come in 2023 as Verstappen and Red Bull dominated the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, while Alonso scored an impressive podium on his Aston Martin debut.
A new season of Formula 1 began at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, with Oscar Piastri and Logan Sargeant making their debuts. Elsewhere, Fernando Alonso moved to Aston Martin with Pierre Gasly taking his Alpine seat. Nico Hulkenberg also made a full-time return with the Haas team. Lance Stroll was on the grid for the season-opener, despite not partaking in pre-season testing due to a cycling crash.
Following on from their strong form in testing, Red Bull topped the timesheets in qualifying. Max Verstappen secured pole position, with team-mate Sergio Perez alongside him on the front row. Aston Martin also converted their pre-season promise into a strong Saturday performance. After topping the times in the final two practice sessions, Fernando Alonso put himself fifth on the grid, behind the two Ferraris.
After a clean run into Turn 1 as the lights went out on Sunday, the first drama of the race came at Turn 4, where Stroll tapped team-mate Alonso. The duo were lucky to escape without race-altering damage. Charles Leclerc made his way past Perez for second place, while Alonso set about making up positions, racing wheel-to-wheel with George Russell for fifth place.
Valtteri Bottas benefited from the undercut, putting him sixth and ahead of both Alonso and Russell after their first stops – though Alonso soon found his way past the Alfa Romeo. Back near the front, Perez found his way back past Leclerc on Lap 26, with Verstappen sailing away in the lead.
All pit stops complete, Alonso found himself on the tail of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes and the duo rolled back the years with a side-by-side scrap for fifth place. After a failed attempt at Turn 4, Alonso fought his way through on the inside of Turn 10 – an unconventional place to make an overtake stick.
Debutant Piastri found himself on the sidelines early on in what was to be a race to forget for McLaren. The Australian was joined in the retirees club by Ferrari’s Leclerc, who had been running third until engine issues brought his evening to a premature end on Lap 40.
One Ferrari down, Alonso was now fighting fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz for the final step on the podium. After another close moment for Alonso at Turn 4, he pulled off another impressive move on Sainz on Lap 45, securing a podium finish on his first appearance with Aston Martin.
Verstappen dominated the race and was unchallenged for victory, crossing the line 11 seconds ahead of his Red Bull team-mate. In the lower regions of the points, Gasly scored on his Alpine debut, while Alex Albon picked up a point for Williams in tenth place.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP AT THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting Bahrain International Circuit in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.
Great overview of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend information! Really helpful to have all the details in one place. I’m looking forward to the race!