Let the season begin!

F1 season is about to start, and the drivers are already in Bahrain to put their cars and skills to the test.

This is the fifth consecutive year for the island to host these sessions.  Testing marks the fifth consecutive year that the island has been selected as the venue for these important sessions. F1 Aramco Pre-Season testing was first held in Sakhir in 2009, then in 2014, and they have now been hosted by Bahrain each year since 2021.

There are six drivers who will be making their first full-time campaigns on the grid, including  Kimi Antonelli with Mercedes, Oliver Bearman with Haas, Jack Doohan with Alpine, Gabriel Bortoleto with Kick Sauber, Isack Hadjar with Racing Bulls, and Liam Lawson with Red Bull Racing.

“The recent F1 75 Live launch event showed that the fan interest in the sport is as strong as ever and we are certainly feeling that in Bahrain as the excitement builds for the 2025 race,” said  BIC’s CEO, Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa. “With an incredible line up of entertainment and several new driver combinations on the grid, we expect fans to enjoy an incredible experience under lights in the desert.”

All 10 teams are together on track for the first time in 2025 at the BIC, and fans will have an exciting sneak peek on what’s to come this year in the two open days on Thursday and Friday, with gates open at 11am.

There will also be plenty of off-track entertainment for the whole family during the tests, including racing simulators and roaming family entertainment and a replica 2025 F1 car that will be on show at the BIC vending area.

According to Shaikh Salman, the team has upped the entertainment elements because this year the testing is being viewed as a ‘stand-alone’ event as Bahrain is the fourth race.

Meanwhile, the BIC held a press conference ahead of the testing to officially launch the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 – which is set to take place as part of Formula 1’s landmark 75th anniversary this season.

Details of the mega sporting and entertainment extravaganza, which will be held from April 11 to 13, were announced at the BIC premises with race superstar Oscar Piastri in attendance from reigning F1 Constructors’ World Champions McLaren.

Piastri took to the stage with world-renowned F1 presenter and commentator Laura Winter  to share his two-cents about the testing and upcoming season. Shaikh Salman followed suit alongside Gulf Air chief customer experience officer Hanadi Alali while Gulf Air ‘s chairman Khaled Hussain Taqi proudly watched on.
This year’s F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix will also be celebrating the 75th anniversary of F1 and also Bahrain’s national carrier and grand prix title sponsor Gulf Air.

“Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, is proud to celebrate 75 years alongside Formula 1, our long-standing partner. This is a truly special milestone,” said Hanadi. “Our Formula 1 sponsorship has been transformative, significantly enhancing our global visibility and driving tourism to Bahrain. We are committed to working closely with Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority  and Bahrain International Circuit to attract an even greater influx of visitors, providing tailored travel solutions and immersive experiences. This renewed partnership reinforces our dedication to Formula 1 and Bahrain's vibrant motorsport scene, ensuring Gulf Air remains at its heart." 

The race features the slogan “The Desert Never Sleeps”, reflecting the unique elements of the Kingdom’s race weekend and the spectacular 57-lap night race.

“As a venue, we have always sought to have our own individual identity,” shared Shaikh Salman. “In fact, every F1 race will be known by fans for its own special characteristics. For us, we like to incorporate elements of our culture and surroundings into the race weekend.

“We are in the middle of the desert which sets us apart somewhat, but we are also very much a night culture here in Bahrain. So the aim is to reflect the fact that, especially under the lights at night, fans can experience something incredibly special and uplifting – whether that be the racing on track, our concerts, or indeed the entertainment we have in the fan zones for all the family.

“Those who have been to our race before know that this place truly comes to life at night, so we wanted to reflect that in our campaign for this year.”

The F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025 will also feature plenty more exciting action throughout the race weekend from the three international support series, namely the FIA Formula 2 Championship, the FIA Formula 3 Championship, and the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East (PCCME).

Both F2 and F3 are the chief feeder series to F1, featuring the sport's future stars. F2 will be staging the second of 14 rounds in 2025 in Bahrain, while F3 will be staging the second of 10 rounds in its season at BIC. Both follow their season-openers in Australia.
 
After holding its opening round at BIC in November of last year, the PCCME returns for its fifth and penultimate meeting of this year’s championship.

As a major part of this year’s entertainment lineup, globally renowned act Circus Extreme is coming to the racing festival, there will also be musical performances, the fan-favourite Ferris Wheel and popular characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Snoopy, Popeye Kids, and much more.

Spectacular shows will be put on by the Living Garden, the Circus Cortex, Circolation acrobat performers, and a Girlesque Band, while roaming entertainments will be interacting with race-goers, including Jordi The Mime Clown, Hop Hop, Professor Bubbles, Pop the Balloon Man, Colourful Puppets, Acaia Flag Wavers, Kalimba Batucada, and the Dapper Chaps.

For motorsport enthusiasts, F1 Fan Zone will be bringing them closer to the sporting experience.

Plus, this year the BIC is staging a charity auction to raise money for the Royal Humanitarian Foundation.

With the generosity of many of the F1 teams, BIC has gathered an incredible selection of unique items of F1 memorabilia along with some amazing donations from Gulf Air.

The auction runs until race day on April 13, and it can be accessed on mazad.app/c/87 where you can place your online bids for the items.

They include:

• An F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2024 licence plate signed by F1 drivers in a presentation frame with plaque
• A framed print of a Mercedes F1 car design, signed by Lewis Hamilton
• Limited edition print artwork of George Russell’s car, signed by the driver
• Racing gloves signed by Valtteri Bottas
• Commentary notes from Sky F1’s David Croft from the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Signed and framed with plaque.
• 2024 Bahrain Darts Masters match-used darts board, framed and signed by all players, including World Champion Luke Littler.
• Signed F1 memorabilia from teams including Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari.

For more information on the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2025, F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2025, or other events and activities at BIC, visit bahraingp.com, call the BIC Hotline on +973-17450000, or follow the circuit’s official social media channels.