Drivers, team personnel, officials and fans continued to fly into the kingdom Wednesday ahead of the highly anticipated mega event, which kick starts on the track on Friday (April 20).
Among the latest Formula One stars to arrive were Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi and Force India’s Paul di Resta.
International Automobile Federation (FIA) Formula One Race Director Charlie Whiting also touched down in Bahrain.
BIC’s Formula One Paddock was thus bustling with activity Wednesday as the 12 teams entered in the FIA Formula One World Championship continued to set things up in their respective garages.
Scores of international media members also began collecting their passes from the Media Accreditation Centre located next to the Sakhir petrol station. BIC’s Media Centre also began its operations, as journalists, photographers, and TV and radio crews began flocking to the Sakhir track on Wednesday.
All those arriving to Bahrain were welcomed at the airport by BIC’s Meet and Greet staff.
Formula One fans that’ve purchased three-day tickets to the Bahrain Grand Prix have the privilege of joining an exclusive Pit Lane walk on Thursday (April 19) afternoon.
The activity is scheduled for 3pm to 5pm, and it is only available for those with passes to the entire weekend.
The Pit Lane walk gives members of the public a chance to see the garages of each of the 12 Formula One teams that are set to line up on the grid at the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday.
Get up close to where the teams get ready for all the high-octane action on the track, and maybe even catch a glimpse of one or more of the sport’s star drivers as they put in the behind-the-scenes work in preparation for the Grand Prix spectacle.
Aside from Formula One’s top talents, drivers and team personnel from the two international support series have also been arriving in Bahrain for the race weekend.
Many of the participants in the GP2 Series and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup are now in Bahrain.
Meanwhile, the teams set to compete in Bahrain-based WGA Supercars Middle East Championship, which is the weekend’s third support category, have begun fine-tuning their challengers for the season’s most anticipated weekend of action.
The meeting is the sixth and final round of the 2011/2012 championship. Competitors from Batelco Racing, Alba Racing, VIVA Racing and the Western Gulf Advisory (WGA) Racing teams will be battling things out with the hopes of registering a fantastic finish.
A spectacular line-up of world-class attractions will perfectly complement all the on-track action at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The off-track entertainment will be at BIC’s Formula One Village vending area, which this year will be the biggest-ever in the history of the Bahrain Grand Prix as it extends from the BIC Welcome Centre all the way to the VIVA Karting Track.
It will be filled with all kinds of world-class attractions, including kids’ entertainment tents, roaming acts, Main Stage performers and an extreme ride known as the Sky Coaster.
Kids’ entertainment has been divided into three different tents, each of which will cater to its own type of attraction. These include a Kids’ Theatre Tent, Kids’ Circus Tent and Kids’ Arts and Crafts Tent.
Roaming acts will be interacting with the crowd and setting a mood of fun and amusement throughout the day. The Roaming Acts include a Bombay Baja Brass Band, Roaming Magician Ian Kendall, and many other buskers, comedians and special performers.
At the Main Stage, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers will be amongst those rocking the crowd with their signature “Bagrock” sound. Leading Michael Jackson tribute act Navi will also be performing, as will the Shaolin Warriors and many more.
Meanwhile, the Sky Coaster will give fans an adrenaline rush like never before experienced in the Kingdom – one that combines the thrills of sky diving and hang-gliding.