Think of Formula 1 circuits and the likes of Monza, Imola and Spa-Francorchamps are the first to pop into the mind of any F1 enthusiast. But these tracks have been around for nearly as long as Formula 1 itself! What about those tracks that have cropped up on the F1 season calendar within the last decade? Well, sometimes races there run with clockwork precision. Sometimes things all come undone. Vaishali Dinakaran takes a look at the newer F1 tracks:
BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
Held at: Bahrain International Circuit
First race: 2004
The first-ever Bahrain Grand Prix was so well organised it received the award for the Best Organised Grand Prix from the FIA. Getting Formula 1 to Bahrain was no easy task — the country had to compete with the UAE, Egypt and Lebanon to host West Asia’s first-ever Formula 1 race. The circuit itself was well received, with its massive run-off areas, which made it one of the safest racetracks on the F1 calendar and also prevented dust from coming onto the track. While race attendance in Bahrain was great in the first few years, the numbers dwindled as the novelty of the sport wore off. In 2011, the race was cancelled due to protests in the country. However, Bahrain is present on the 2012 F1 calendar.
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