Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, hosted the official launch event of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2026 – part of F1’s highly anticipated first season in its ‘new era’.The Kingdom’s sporting and entertainment spectacle is scheduled for April 10-12 in Sakhir, and it will be marking the fourth round of the 2026 FIA F1 World Championship.With sweeping new regulations coming into effect and an 11th F1 team joining the grid, the excitement and anticipation is at an all-time high ahead of the new campaign, and details of what to expect in Bahrain’s F1 extravaganza were announced at today’s launch.
In attendance at the BIC Media Centre as a special guest for the event was Andrea Stella, Team Principal of back-to-back F1 Constructors’ World Champions McLaren; alongside Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, BIC Chief Executive; Martin Gauss, Gulf Air CEO; and world-renowned F1 presenter and commentator David Croft.Stella shared his thoughts about the upcoming F1 campaign, with the top flight’s teams all rolling out brand-new cars that are smaller, narrower, and lighter than previous years, making them more agile and thus promoting more exciting action on track.The cars will also boast more environmentally friendly power units featuring a 50-50 split between international combustion engine and electric power along with new active aerodynamics with different modes and a boost button to overtake.A replica of the 2026 F1 car in stunning Bahrain livery was unveiled during the launch.Also entering this campaign, an all-new team in Cadillac will be competing in the world championship, joining McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull Racing, Ferrari, Williams, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, Haas, Alpine, and Audi, who have rebranded after racing last season as Kick Sauber.After welcoming a record sell-out crowd for a third straight year in 2025, Shaikh Salman revealed today that tickets for the 2026 race weekend have been selling fast, with Turn 1 Grandstand sold out and main grandstand 98% sold with two months still to go before the grand prix.Shaikh Salman bin Isa commented: “We are looking very positive for 2026, reflecting the incredible popularity of motorsport in Bahrain and around the world. Our Turn 1 Grandstand is already sold out, the main grandstand 98% sold, with the others not far behind. In addition to the sell out of our Corporate Boxes and Champions Club hospitality, we are set for an incredible weekend of racing and entertainment in April.”
Shaikh Salman bin Isa revealed the slogan for this year’s grand prix as “The Island of Racing Passion”. He said it reflects Bahrain’s rich history in motorsport, which goes back decades before BIC hosted the region’s first-ever F1 grand prix.“We are really proud of our racing history, not just as the first F1 race to be held in the Middle East back in 2004, but you can go way back to 1954 when the Bahrain Motor Federation was founded – that passion has been there for a long time,” Shaikh Salman bin Isa said.“At the same time, we also wanted our slogan to recognise the growing passion of the fans and the generation in Bahrain who have grown up with F1 as part of their lives.Gulf Air CEO Martin Gauss spoke of the partnership between Formula 1 and the Kingdom’s national carrier.“We are extremely proud of our longstanding partnership with the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix a relationship that dates back to the very first race in 2004. As Bahrain’s national carrier, we are honoured to play a role in elevating the Kingdom’s global profile and welcoming visitors from every corner of the world to experience this iconic international event,” stated Gauss.
This season, the star-studded field of 22 F1 drivers – including four F1 Drivers’ World Champions– will be led by reigning World Champion Lando Norris, who will be looking to defend his crown alongside Oscar Piastri at McLaren.Piastri was last year’s winner in the Kingdom, delivering the first-ever victory in Sakhir for McLaren. Hamilton, Alonso, Verstappen, and Leclerc have also won past editions of the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, while Perez was a winner at BIC in the only time the F1 Sakhir Grand Prix was held as part of an historic F1 double-header in 2020.
Just as it is every year during F1 weekend, BIC has put together a programme filled with off-track attractions for the whole family to enjoy.As a major part of this year’s entertainment lineup, a water spectacular circus will be putting on an incredible show for race-goers.There will also be plenty for the younger fans attending with their family and friends, such as live shows on stage featuring a variety of performers such as Hot Wheels, Barbie, Blippi, and many other popular characters.The fan-favourite Ferris Wheel is also back to offer a memorable carnival ride for all those attending, while a wide variety of roaming acts will be interacting with attendees across BIC’s F1 Village.For motorsport enthusiasts, F1 Fan Zone will be bringing them closer to the sporting experience with all kinds of motorsport activations.BIC also announced that multi-platinum DJ and producer Martin Garrix will be performing live on the Friday night of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2026. He is the first international artist announced by BIC for this year’s F1 weekend.
Aside from the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2026, BIC will also be hosting six days of F1 Aramco Pre-Season Testing 2026.
The tests will be divided into two three-day sessions, with the first starting tomorrow, February 11, and continuing until Friday, February 13. The second will be held next week from February 18 to 20.Fans will be able to access the tests on the last two days of each session, Thursday and Friday this week and then again on February 19-20.
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