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EXCITEMENT is gathering pace over the opening race of the Formula One season at the Bahrain International Circuit which could see the return of Michael Schumacher - the first ever grand prix winner on the circuit.
The seven-time F1 World Champion is close to signing a deal with Mercedes to come out of retirement and compete in Formula One next year, Germany's Bild newspaper has reported.
Race fans cannot wait to see him battle on the track against former world champion Lewis Hamilton and his new McLaren sidekick and current champion Jenson Button, who took first place in Bahrain last April.
Sales of tickets for the first race of the 2010 season - March 12-14 - are reported to be 'brisk' and a sell-out seems assured with a number of legendary names from the world of motorsport likely to be in the stands.
Martin Whittaker, the BIC's CEO, said: "This is great news for the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix and adds much, much more excitement and anticipation to the whole event.
"In addition to the new McLaren pairing, and whatever happens with Michael and his much-talked about return to Mercedes, there will also be new teams on the starting grid and as a result more cars and more drivers than we have seen on the Formula One starting grid since the early 1990s.
"With the added attention surrounding the drivers, particularly Schumacher, the first race is going to create a real buzz all of its own.
"It's the 60th anniversary of the Formula One World Championship and already we have a lot of interest from former world champions wanting to be with us that weekend.
"The sight and sound of world championship winning cars from across the last six decades - Lotus, Ferrari, McLaren, Alfa Romeo, Tyrrell to name just a few - is of mouth-watering importance and as a direct result we are beginning to see a lot of momentum building behind both grandstand and corporate ticket sales - particularly at a time when our discount packages are so attractive."
Schumacher was photographed this week riding a kart in his German hometown at the same time as another track hero was making strides to prepare for competitive action again in Bahrain.
Two-times winner at Sakhir, Felipe Massa's return to racing continued on Sunday when Ferrari said the Brazilian driver would get behind the wheel of a Formula One car in the 'next few days'.
Massa, who hasn't raced since suffering life threatening injuries in a crash at July's Hungarian Grand Prix, will drive an F2007 model fitted with demonstration run tyres.
Massa says he wanted 'to jump into a Formula One car before the end of the year, so I made the most of being in Maranello to do it'.
The line-up of drivers for Bahrain is also taking shape. Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen will race for Lotus when the Malaysian-backed Formula One team returns to the starting grid next season.
Malaysian Sports Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek told a news conference on Monday that Trulli and Kovalainen, who was replaced by F1 champion Button at McLaren, would drive for the team next season.
Both have signed three-year contracts, said Lotus boss Tony Fernandes, the airline mogul backing the team. He declined to provide financial details.
Lotus's target is to be the best of the five new teams next season, Fernandes added. Lotus last raced in 1994.
The other new teams for 2010 are USF1, Campos, Sauber and Manor, which will compete as Virgin Racing.
