Another BIC victory

Organisers of the 2019 Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix were delighted by the success of this year’s event which attracted a string of sporting and screen celebrities and record crowd numbers.

Excitement was matched on and off the track with positive vibes from the live performances as well as the fairground-style attractions in the F1 Village. And, the big race proved thrilling too.

Arif Rahimi, chairman of the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), said: “I congratulate Lewis Hamilton on his stunning victory, as well as his team at Mercedes, in yet another gripping night race at BIC. This has been a fitting conclusion to our weekend celebrating our 15 years in F1.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have broken all records for race day and weekend attendance. Since 2013, our total attendance has risen by 33 per cent, reflecting the huge growth in the popularity of the sport in the region.

“I thank all the fans who have travelled from all parts of the world, who have shared this spectacle with us. I offer my thanks to those who have contributed to the success of the weekend. In particular, I thank our friends at F1 and the FIA, who support us every year in delivering such a special event for the kingdom. I also thank the teams who took part across all our racing events.”

The full attendance figures over the four days will be announced shortly. Title sponsors, national carrier Gulf Air, was equally satisfied. CEO Krešimir Kučko said: “The success of this year’s race is a testament to the commitment and efforts of our leadership and the Bahraini people as a whole.

“The ongoing efforts have been fruitful over the years in securing the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix as a firm favourite amongst fans from all over the world and garnering Bahrain global recognition as a business and tourism destination in the Gulf as well as the home of motorsport in the region.

“We look forward to welcoming more visitors to Bahrain for many years to come and continuing our successful partnership with Formula 1 going forward. We thank our colleagues at the BIC and everyone who contributed to the success of the event from ministries, authorities and the private sector.”

Delighted BIC chief executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, added: “This weekend, the Bahrain Grand Prix has yet again raised the bar in providing thrilling racing and entertainment.

“This would not have been possible without the incredible work of my team here at the BIC. I thank them for all their endeavours and the many months of diligent preparation leading up to today’s finale.

“I would also like to thank our sponsors and partners, especially to Gulf Air, who have been with us since our F1 journey began 15 years ago. We now hand the baton over to China and wish all those in F1 the best of success celebrating the 1,000th World Championship race.”

The Chinese Grand Prix takes place in Shanghai on April 14.