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Circuit

Bahrain International Circuit

Sakhir, Bahrain

The Bahrain International Circuit is a desert track defined by its braking zones. Several hard stops reward strong traction and stable brakes, and the abrasive surface works the tyres hard over a race distance, so managing rear grip becomes a central theme. Run at night under floodlights, the cooler air adds another variable to how the tyres behave, and looking after them over a long stint often decides the race.

Located at Sakhir, it is a familiar proving ground where cars are tested and understood, in part because its demands on braking and tyre wear reveal a car's true balance. The floodlit desert setting gives the race a distinctive look and a genuine test of composure under load.

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Bahrain circuit facts

Lap record
1:31.447Pedro de la Rosa, 2005
First Grand Prix
2004

The gap, in metres

2025 Qualifying here. Every driver’s time gap converted to the distance it actually puts them behind at racing speed. The field covers 220.8 m from first to last.

050m100m150m200m250mOscar Piastri, McLaren: reference1Oscar Piastrireference lapGeorge Russell, Mercedes: +0.168 = 14.7 m2George Russell14.7 mCharles Leclerc, Ferrari: +0.334 = 29.1 m3Charles Leclerc29.1 mKimi Antonelli, Mercedes: +0.372 = 32.4 m4Kimi Antonelli32.4 mPierre Gasly, Alpine: +0.375 = 32.7 m5Pierre Gasly32.7 mLando Norris, McLaren: +0.426 = 37.2 m6Lando Norris37.2 mMax Verstappen, Red Bull Racing: +0.582 = 50.8 m7Max Verstappen50.8 mCarlos Sainz, Williams: +0.839 = 73.2 m8Carlos Sainz73.2 mLewis Hamilton, Ferrari: +0.931 = 81.2 m9Lewis Hamilton81.2 mJack Doohan, Alpine: +1.404 = 122.5 m10Jack Doohan122.5 mIsack Hadjar, Racing Bulls: +1.430 = 124.7 m11Isack Hadjar124.7 mYuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing: +1.462 = 127.5 m12Yuki Tsunoda127.5 mEsteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team: +1.753 = 152.9 m13Esteban Ocon152.9 mNico Hulkenberg, Kick Sauber: +1.852 = 161.5 m14Nico Hulkenberg161.5 mFernando Alonso, Aston Martin: +2.045 = 178.4 m15Fernando Alonso178.4 mAlexander Albon, Williams: +2.199 = 191.8 m16Alexander Albon191.8 mLiam Lawson, Racing Bulls: +2.324 = 202.7 m17Liam Lawson202.7 mGabriel Bortoleto, Kick Sauber: +2.345 = 204.5 m18Gabriel Bortoleto204.5 mLance Stroll, Aston Martin: +2.442 = 213.0 m19Lance Stroll213.0 mOliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team: +2.532 = 220.8 m20Oliver Bearman220.8 m
See the full 2025 Qualifying in 3D

On the radio here

2,162 messages recorded at this circuit, 2018 to 2026.

Every session drawn to scale

The radio archive, season by season