EXCITEMENT permeated the air at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), amidst roars of the racing engines on track and buzz of the vending area off track, during the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix race weekend’s first day.
Fans from nearly every continent flocked to the circuit in Sakhir to see their favourite teams and drivers hit the track for the first time this weekend, and enjoy the support races as well as entertainment options.
“This is the second time coming to Bahrain, and the second time I have been to an F1 race, the first one being the Monaco Grand Prix,” 59-year-old Wayne Samson from South Africa, who is in the kingdom with his wife Dena, told the GDN. “The atmosphere here is fantastic and I have been enjoying the entertainment and fan area.”
In the vending area of the BIC, a plethora of performers, thrill rides and games kept fans entertained between the racing action.
Among the roaming entertainers were the Puglia Street Band, Carnival de Colores, AJ Batucada, TikTak Marionettes, Stevie Wheels and Juggling Dom.
As 37-year-old Ishtiyaq Kazi enjoyed the acts and his son Nooh played on a display patrol motorcycle set up at the Interior Ministry’s booth, he expressed delight at the organisation of activities this year, finding that the circuit and activities were much easier to navigate, compared to previous years.
The Puglia Street Band took spectators on a musical journey, bringing a fusion of tradition and modern flair for an electrifying experience, while the Carnival de Colores dazzled race-goers with their captivating dances and rhythmic moves performed in radiant costumes, becoming a kaleidoscope of colours, feathers, and sequins.
The thrill rides this year included the High Impress and the Ferris Wheel, both successful hallmarks from previous Bahrain Grands Prix.
The Ferris Wheel gave visitors a distinctive vantage point, with a panoramic view of BIC and the surrounding Sakhir area, allowing them to observe the racing action from a unique perspective.
The High Impress got pulses pounding with its controlled spins and rotations, as their excited yelps punctuated the festive atmosphere near the food vendors.
American artist Erin Ferrell, who recently showcased her unique F1-inspired pieces during an interactive exhibition as part of the Spring of Culture, managed to work against the wind, capturing the colours and crowds into a number of pieces as part of the festivities.
Ms Ferrell was invited by the BIC to create her pieces at the circuit, building on the success of her solo showcase titled ‘F1 Bahrain: An American Tourist Paints’, at the Art Concept Gallery in Andalus Garden.
A fascinating and thrilling addition to the off-track entertainment this year is the Circus Extreme, made up of acrobats proficient in various disciplines such as parkour, tightrope, pole, BMX, unicycle, hoop and dance.
Their 45-minute-long show featured exciting displays of heart-stopping gymnastics and choreographed multi-acts, the highlight of which was three motorcyclists looping around a metal cage – a stunt commonly known as the Globe of Death.
Meanwhile, young motorsport fans wandered the area, getting a hands-on F1 experience at some of the attractions. An F1 insider, who asked not to be named, noted that more and more young fans have been getting interested in the sport, primarily driven by the Netflix series Drive to Survive.
Those who wanted to get into an F1 car flocked to the eSports booths set up to simulate a race on the track, while those fascinated by the behind-the-scenes activity during a Grand Prix, tried their hand at becoming one of the pit crew and seeing how fast they could switch tyres.
Yusuf Hazem, 20, from Arad and Abdulla Albanna, 19, from Zallaq, took on the roles of pit crew members, at first struggling and then triumphing with a quick four-second tyre change.
They found the challenge quite difficult, appreciating the pressure that pit crews are under to quickly change tyres and get their driver back into the race.
Although autograph sessions have been replaced by stage interviews in the vending area this year, fans were able to visit two booths to get ‘virtual’ selfies with their drivers, where their photo was digitally integrated with those of their favourite racers.
Intriguingly, although fans filled up the circuit’s vending area, most of them quickly vanished into the grandstands for the first practice session of the weekend, which was topped by RB driver Daniel Ricciardo.
In the stands and off the track, the Orange Army – the flock of fans cheering for world champion Max Verstappen – made their presence known with their flags and t-shirts, cheering for the Dutchman every time he roared past.
Andreas Mesics, 39, and Andreas Gal, 36, from Austria are hoping that Mr Verstappen wins all the races on this year’s record 24-round calendar, although they acknowledge that Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren all have strong contenders.
Mercedes fans Danny Martin, 37, and Wassim Sayegh, 34, are hoping that the former constructors champions can get back into form, although they are mainly rooting for driver Lewis Hamilton, who will be leaving the team for rivals Ferrari at the end of this season.
“He’s our favourite driver, so of course we are going to cheer for him this year at Mercedes, and next year at Ferrari, though in our heart, we will always have a soft spot for Mercedes,” the visitors from the UK added.
While motorsport has a reputation for mainly being supported by men, plenty of female fans were at the circuit, cheering for their favourite teams.
Ferrari fans Waad Alghanim and Sarah Alhajri, both aged 19, are excited to see what the Charles Leclerc- Carlos Sainz duo will achieve this year.
When asked how they feel about seven-time world champion Hamilton joining the Racing Reds, Sarah was quick to say that she still felt the existing duo made for a better team, while her friend said she might wait and see how the team does next year.
Racing action and off-track thrills resume this morning at the BIC, with gates opening at 9am, and the qualifying session of the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East becoming the first activity of the day on the tarmac at 12.05pm.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))