Bahrain Grand Prix

The Bahrain Grand Prix (Arabic: جائزة البحرين الكبرى), officially known as the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix for sponsorship reasons, is a Formula One motor racing event held in Bahrain. The inaugural race took place at the Bahrain International Circuit on 4 April 2004. It was the first Formula One Grand Prix held in the Middle East and was awarded the FIA’s prize for “Best Organised Grand Prix”.

The event has variously been the second, third, or fourth round of the F1 calendar. In 2006, it replaced the Australian Grand Prix as the season opener, as the latter was delayed to avoid clashing with the Commonwealth Games. Bahrain held the opening race in 2010 as well, when the longer 6.299 km (3.914 mi) “Endurance Circuit” was used to mark Formula One’s diamond jubilee. In 2021, the Grand Prix opened the season once more after the cancellation of the 2021 Australian Grand Prix due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2025, however, the Australian Grand Prix reclaimed the opening slot as part of Formula One’s regionalisation strategy, and Bahrain was scheduled as the fourth race of the season.