Method 1 returns for the beginning of its 2024 season, which begins within the Sakhir desert with the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix on February 29 – March 2. Right here’s all the pieces you want to know forward of attending the season-opening race weekend!
Photos: © F1Destinations
Bahrain is host to Method 1’s season opening Grand Prix as soon as once more in 2024. It’s the sixth time that the Bahrain Grand Prix has been the opening race of the season. It first hosted the season-opener in 2006, earlier than doing so once more in 2010 on the longer Endurance format of the observe. This yr marks the twentieth anniversary of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Bahrain has hosted the primary race of the yr in every of the final three seasons – however 2024 may very well be the final time it should achieve this for some time, with the timing of Ramadan prone to affect on the start of subsequent yr’s calendar.
On account of Ramadan in 2024 (which begins on March 10), the Bahrain Grand Prix will happen on a Saturday, permitting F1 to carry a double header of races within the area earlier than the non secular interval is noticed. It implies that the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix race weekend will run on a Thursday to Saturday schedule.
In 2022, Bahrain Worldwide Circuit signed a prolonged contract extension which retains the Bahrain Grand Prix on the Method 1 calendar till not less than 2036 – the second longest contract for any present circuit. 2024 marks the twentieth working of the Bahrain Grand Prix because it joined the Method 1 calendar in 2004 as the primary Grand Prix occasion within the Center East. Race organisers could have quite a few particular occasions lined as much as have a good time the 20-year anniversary weekend.
Night time racing on the Bahrain Grand Prix
With a inhabitants of round 1.5 million – a rise of 700,000 because the sport first visited in 2004 – Bahrain is among the extra liberal Muslim international locations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Luxurious and unique, the nation affords a temperate local weather.
The race has been held at night time since 2014, which means trackside temperatures are way more manageable for the drivers and spectators alike. Daytime temperatures hover round 25°C throughout March and you’ll be sheltered from the solar for the daytime observe motion, due to the entire circuit’s grandstands being lined. Temperatures drop as little as 18°C when the race takes place beneath the lights.
Heading to Bahrain for the primary time? All of the important journey data you want might be present in Journey Fundamentals.
Attendance figures on the rise on the Bahrain Grand Prix
The Bahrain Grand Prix has one of many lowest attendances on the calendar, with lower than 100,000 followers visiting the circuit over race weekend. The low attendance figures are partly as a result of comparatively low capability of the circuit, which is just 70,000. That’s a profit for followers trackside, who will face much less queueing time and fewer overcrowding than on the busier races on the calendar.
In 2019, 97,000 followers had been current for the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, which was a brand new file determine for the occasion. When followers returned to the observe for the primary time in three years for the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, the Sunday attendance determine was 35,000 – one other new file. Final yr, attendance grew once more with a race day crowd of 36,000 and an general weekend attendance of 99,500.
Worldwide ticket gross sales proceed to be on the rise on the Bahrain Grand Prix. In 2023, the circuit reported that lots of its grandstands had bought out upfront of the race weekend, on account of a rise in worldwide ticket gross sales.
But to safe tickets for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix? The final tickets for the race weekend can be found in our ticket store and ticket packages through F1 Experiences – F1’s official ticket bundle accomplice – are nonetheless on sale.
The Bahrain Grand Prix Gives A number of the Most Reasonably priced F1 Tickets
The Bahrain Grand Prix’s rising attendance determine could partly be attributed to the truth that the occasion affords a few of the least expensive tickets of any race on the Method 1 calendar. On common, tickets for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix value $265. Common ticket costs for Bahrain didn’t improve between the 2023 and 2024 races. Solely the Chinese language, Hungarian and Japanese Grands Prix provide cheaper tickets than Bahrain Worldwide Circuit.
It’s a very spectacular statistic, on condition that the Bahrain Grand Prix doesn’t provide normal admission passes; which means all tickets assure you a spot in one of many grandstands. Bahrain’s Victory grandstand, positioned on the finish of the straight earlier than the ultimate nook, was the second-cheapest grandstand at any observe on final yr’s calendar. Tickets within the circuit’s predominant grandstand reverse the pits are additionally effectively priced comparative to different circuits, being the fourth least expensive of the yr.
Tickets are comparatively inexpensive for native followers too. In 2023, a 3-day ticket for the Bahrain Grand Prix value solely 8.29% of the typical month-to-month wage – behind solely Singapore, Canada, Japan, Australia and Qatar.
We estimate that the typical fan will spend round $800 USD on a visit to the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. That determine consists of 3-day grandstand seats, a 3-night keep in a Manama lodge, plus day by day spending cash.
Take a look at our Funds Planner for the lowdown on what you’ll be able to count on to spend on a visit to the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Trackside on the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
There’ll be loads of on observe motion at this yr’s Bahrain Grand Prix. In addition to this being the opening spherical of the 2024 Method 1 season, feeder sequence Method 2 and Method 3 will even start their seasons.
F2 and F3 will each maintain two races: a Dash Race on Friday and a Function Race forward of the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday. The complete weekend schedule for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix was revealed in late January, which additionally consists of two Porsche Carrera Cup Center East races, identical to final yr. The complete on observe schedule for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix, together with extra sensible data for trackside followers in Bahrain, is accessible on our up to date Trackside web page.
The excellent news for three-day ticket holders is {that a} Pit Lane Stroll normally takes place on the day earlier than the on-track motion begins (which will likely be Wednesday February 28 in 2024). From 19:00 to twenty:30, you might be normally capable of discover the pit lane and get a glimpse of the garages forward of the primary race of the season. When you’re fortunate, it’s possible you’ll even spot a driver or two! Particulars of the Pit Lance Stroll for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix haven’t but been introduced.
Quite a few well-liked music acts have carried out on the Bahrain Grand Prix lately, together with Afrojack, DJ Don Diablo, DJ Snake and Craig David. This yr, DJs Zedd and Diplo will likely be performing throughout the race weekend on the primary stage. The stage is positioned within the F1 Fan Zone, behind the primary grandstand, which will likely be a hive of exercise when the observe falls silent and is the place yow will discover crew merchandise. You can even count on driver appearances on the primary stage – seemingly on Thursday and Friday – although particulars haven’t but been revealed.
Exploring Bahrain
Taxi, Uber or rent automotive are probably the most handy methods to get to and from the circuit over the weekend. The organizers additionally provide free shuttle buses from ten lodges to the circuit and again. Discover extra journey data and recommendation on our Getting There and Round web page.
When you’re staying for longer than simply the race weekend, there’s a wealth of issues to do within the space. From historic forts and museums, to distinctive eating experiences and tropical island getaways, be sure you benefit from your go to! We’ve rounded up the very best locations to go in your Bahrain Grand Prix journey in Off-Monitor Actions.
