President and CEO of Formula 1 Stefano Domenicali is looking forward to returning to Bahrain for the fourth round of a season already full of thrills and spills and a sport set to sparkle this summer from a touch of Hollywood glamour and the ‘Pitt factor’.
F1, the upcoming Formula One racing movie starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, is likely to be a box-office smash in June.
“I do believe so”, he told GDN Media in an exclusive interview live from the sport’s last race pitstop in Japan. The movie will be ‘great news’ for the sport’s profile, he added.
The 59-year-old Italian, a former Ferrari team principal and Lamborghini CEO, has been chief executive since he took over from American Chase Carey in 2021 and was recently handed a five-year contract extension by the sport’s commercial rights holders Liberty Media.
Formula One said it had seen ‘incredible growth and increased interest and demand for its races around the world’.
“Stefano has been an excellent steward of the business, building on its successful foundation and accelerating Formula One’s rate of growth both commercially and in fan engagement,” said Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang.
Bahrain continues to lead the way when it comes to investing in its Sakhir facilities at the Bahrain International Circuit and proving that ‘The Desert Never Sleeps’ with acclaimed solar power and other sustainable developments and a long-term contract to host the grand prix until at least the year 2036, following an extension of the contract with the race’s promoter in 2022.
The ‘sold out’ 2025 F1 roadshow celebrates its 21st race anniversary in Bahrain and Mr Domenicali has witnessed it from the start. “I’m so happy because, as you know, my personal relationship with the Crown Prince, with all of the Bahrain Royal Family, is just magic.
“They were the first – thanks to the vision of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to invest in Formula 1, and I was there at the start in 2004. So it means a lot to us to go back to a place that is really special.
“I just want to say thank you to the people of Bahrain for the love and the energy that they bring when we come here.
“It’s one of the most loved grand prix races because of the people. They have a true passion for our sport. They have a true passion for all the people working in our environment.
“Therefore, we are looking forward to being here this week.”
managingeditor@gdnmedia.bh
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