Bahrain Thread Starts Here

[davewilson]

In the 19th century, the hunt for pearls brought the world to Bahrain and in the 20th century it was oil. Now Bahrain is back on the map as part of the formula-one grand-prix circuit, bringing the stars of the motor racing circus, worldwide television coverage and a boom in tourism.

The formula-one track arises like a mirage in the spectacular desert setting, its main grandstand resembling an Arab tent in an oasis of palms - flown in to the site for several thousand dollars apiece.

The nation, which in 1932 was the first in the Persian Gulf to drill commercially for oil, has had a love affair with the motor car ever since. Money was no object for Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain, a life-long motorsport enthusiast, who personally oversaw the project, flying in more than 2000 workers from the subcontinent to prepare for the event and shipping in 54,000 tonnes of granite from Wales.

Bahrainis love their cars the way Australians love football. The island is criss-crossed with modern freeways and such is the enthusiasm of the inhabitants for driving that they built the 25-kilometre King Fahd causeway so that they could drive to Saudi Arabia. Built at a cost of $US1.2 billion ($A1.5 billion), the causeway is a miracle of modern engineering. From an observation tower, you can see the more than 12,000 viaducts that stretch all the way to Saudi Arabia.

But driving cars isn't the only reason to visit Bahrain. The island is of international importance to thousands of migratory birds en route to Africa. Bahrain is an archipelago of more than 33 islands with mangrove swamps, mudflats, marshes and gardens as well as desert. Over 40 species of migratory wading birds can be seen in Bahrain during the autumn migration from July to October. Flamingoes make their home in Bahrain all year round and one of the best places to view birds and animals is the Al Areen Wildlife Park, which is home to 240 species of birds and mammals indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa. This is one of the best places in the world to see a herd of graceful oryx, the national animal of Bahrain, which resembles the mythical unicorn.

The shallow seas of the gulf around Bahrain are also home to dolphins and dugong and the Bahrain Yacht Club organises dolphin watching trips. But the most famous inhabitants of Bahrain's waters are its oysters, which for 500 years were sought for the best pearls in the world and which made Bahrain one of the most important trading posts in the region.

Bahrain has a history stretching back 6000 years earning a mention in The Epic of Gilgamesh, the oldest written story on earth, where it is described as paradise. It was once covered with palm trees, and other ancient texts referred to it as the Garden of Eden. Locals claim the Tree of Life, a lone mesquite tree in the middle of a barren desert sustained by an underground spring, is a relic from ancient times.

Throughout its long history, trading has been the lifeblood of Bahrain and the city's souk clusters behind the Bab al-Bahrain, the Gateway to Bahrain, built by the British in 1945. In the narrow streets of the souk you can buy anything from spices and local sweets, to handicrafts and gold.

Trade has also made the Bahrainis more open to the West than any other country in the gulf and as a result, more relaxed and tolerant.

Although you won't see grid girls in bikinis or winners being sprayed with champagne at the formula-one race, bars serving alcohol are plentiful throughout the country and women are free to wear Western dress.

THE BAHRAIN THREAD STARTS HERE

[romephius]

I quite like that map Stig.....very comprehinsive there..........in the thread I mean.......I'll start driving to the circuit now.......I should get there in time........especially with the directions you included...

Rom

[davewilson]

Yes i have changed it rom,it did sound like a map on how to get there.
Cant wait to get my selections in for this race!

[cosworth151]

I hear they use a local sparkling fruit juice for the podium. They are also offering henna tatoos in the Paddock Club!

[davewilson]

Mr.Todt will keep a certain member of his team well away from the tatoos,but the fruit juice should be good for him.

[cosworth151]

No to worry, Stig. The henna ones are only temporary!

[romephius]

Being the middle east, I wonder if the Abu Dhabi race will have the fruit juice as well??

Rom

[davewilson]

A flying lap of Bahrain with Button

Jenson Button describes a flying lap of the Bahrain circuit in preparation for this weekend’s grand prix. "Racing in Bahrain is always a great experience and it's a circuit that I really enjoy driving. There are some good fast flowing sections where you can really push the car through the two chicanes at turns four and five and later through the quick left and right at turns nine and ten.

“There are also several overtaking opportunities, particularly at turn one after the long straight, where you can make up crucial ground as people tend to brake surprisingly early.

"Confidence under braking is the key to a quick lap around Bahrain. You need to believe in the car's performance and have no doubts that you can stop effectively. The most challenging sector is probably turn fourteen which has a very quick approach where you brake as you turn into the corner, so you have to be careful not to lock the inside front wheel. The sand blowing onto the tarmac can be a challenge as you never know how the grip levels will change from lap to lap.

"As a country I really like Bahrain because it's quiet, chilled and you can get away from everything in a wonderful climate. I'm having a house built out there at the moment which should be ready in time for next year's race."
   

[romephius]

A 'flying' lap with button...........shouldn't it be a 'leisurly stroll' with button.............

sorry, I can't help myself.......

Rom

[cosworth151]

Didn't they say that "Too much sand blowing on the track" was the reason they took the race away from Zanvoort?

[davewilson]

Hi,cosworth found this article on the circuit.

Zandvoort
In preparation for this documentary researcher Nando Boers spoke with Ben Huisman, the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix race director on the circuit of Zandvoort.

“In 1972 and 1973, when the circuit was effectively closed, Johan Beerepoot and me founded CENAV, the Circuit Exploitatie Nederland Autorensport Vereniging. We started to raise funds to modernise the circuit in order to comply with the safety standards. This had to be done as the circuit was banned, bushes grew on the tarmac, the clipping points was no armco or apex but those bushes which grew on the tarmac. The council wanted to close the circuit and that is why we joined forces and said: 'No way! We have to race. Motorracing at Zandvoort has to remain possible.' Johan and me took the lead and said: we have to raise sufficient funds. Subsequently I moved to Zandvoort.”
Q Why did the Zandvoort Circuit had to close in 1971?
A “It was run down. The pitboxes and pitlane were a complete shamble”
Q What had to be done?
A “I met heavy opposition form the municipal council and all odds were stacked against us. As our adversaries had strong backing from third parties.
Q Who were those adversaries?
A “13 neighbours had filed a formal complaint. And there was a lot of resistance against motorracing in general. Nowadays that resistance has faded away and almost non existent. The resistance was not based on the dangers of motorracing but motorracing was simply not done.”
Q Environment, noise?
A “Yes. And people in Maastricht, that is the other side of the country, could file a complaint as well. Anyway, I moved to Zandvoort and started with Beerepoot. We put everything together. Smallegange was our constructor. He mounted the armco and built the pitlane, which are both gone now, and the tower, which still exists”
Q How old were you then?
A “36”
Q What became safer?
A “Run off areas and fences, with poles. The entire track was resurfaced and a new corner constructed”
Q How did you finance it all?
A “From everywhere. Sponsors bought the pitboxes and an investment bank lent us money. Anyway, we had a lot of participants. The financing was pretty well organized, nothing wrong there”
Q Who called the shots when it came to safety?
A “It was all directed from Paris. Jackie Stewart was the main man”
Q Did Paris want to include Zandvoort on the Grand Prix calender again?
A “Yes, they had a safety committee”
Q Why did they want Zandvoort to be back on the GP calender?
A “The Dutch motoring organizations felt we had to have a Grand Prix. We wanted to have the big boys. Anyway, after our plans were approved by the safety committee we started to rebuilt the circuit.”
Q Came Jackie Stewart came to Zandvoort in 1972, or earlier ?
A “I picked him up from Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam. We weren't very talkative on our way to the circuit. We didn't really like each other. I had no problems with Lauda, got on with Hunt very well and Graham Hill was a friend of mine. I drove 50 km/h (32 miles per hour). He wanted to go slow and, just like I did with my father earlier, I lowered my speed even more. We walked across the circuit. It wasn't the first time and certainly not the last time someone walked across the circuit. I wasn't a member of the Stewart fanclub. I found him a pain in the arse. In hindsight he was right. He had to race and had to ensure that he would survive to tell the tale.”
Q Was he satisfied?
A “I don't think so. He felt that a lot had still to be done”
Q And was he right ?
A “In hindsight .... let's put is this way, remember the 2003 GP of Brazil, with that rain? You can not say: 'they had to stop the race'. I say, just like Allard Kalff (Dutch television commentator & racing driver): 'If you can't stop, you can always go slower'. The only point I want to make is, and that was the whole issue back in 1973, we didn't give Roger Williamson a chance to survive. I was totally responsible. When someone died in GP racing in 1973 it was nothing out of the ordinary. But on that circuit, on that particular spot the chances to survive a crash was virtually nill. That is the sole criterium. Nowadays you have to make sure that such a chance exists. You have to run into a patch of really bad luck when you kill yourself on the track. In those days you were lucky when you didn't kill yourself on the track”
Q It was a nice day, July 29th 1973, wasn't it?
A “Yes, we were at Tijn Akersloot, on the beach. So we went to the circuit in a happy mood, we were awarded with a silver plate from the KNAC, because of all the efforts Beerepoot and me had put into it all. So the race started at a high note”
Q What did you like, being a race director?
A “If I may say so: I'm very good in motivating people. It's a second nature to me. Zandvoort was no exception. I had no problems in relating to the marshalls. You know, people who are on your payroll can be ordered to do this and that. But that's a completely different ballgame when you deal with volunteers. The most difficult thing to do is to work with a couple of hundred volunteers who run the circuit posts with just a couple of sandwiches, an apple and a bottle of softdrink as compensation”
Q An apple and a bottle of softdrink?
A "Yes, no compensation for the trainfare or gas either. I didn't receive any financial compensation either. All for the fun of it. When it rained and they returned soaking wet after the race I was soaking wet aswell. Even if I had to go out in the rain just for the sake of it I did just that. You couldn't sit nice and comfy in your office when these guys came in, all soaking wet. I just felt that the sport was of paramount importance and then automatically someone will excell. And that was me. Such an organisation has to have one captain on the bridge. Constant discussions don't work under those conditions. But, times have changed.”
Q Back to the 29th of July.
A "Sundaymorning was business as usual. Beerepoot and me took a motorbike and drove around the track in the morning. Checked the circuit, saw how beautiful and tidy everything was. The specators came 70,000 or so. We were very proud with such a large crowd. The sun was shining, flags waving, music all around. Everything was allright. And Dutchman Gijs van Lennep participated in the race for Frank Williams, thanks to Marlboro. Dutch television was present, for the first time. With Frans Henrichs and Henk Terlingen as commentators. Gradually they lined up for the starting grid. I only had to tell them to hurry as otherwise I would close the pitlane. No one was in a real hurry, it wasn't as organized as nowadays. When everybody had found their place on the starting grid I went to the timekeeping office. The OCA stayed in touch with the marshall posts across the circuit and the firebrigade had their own communication system.They were located in the tower, as a matter of fact, right here. The marshalls on their posts around the circuit were both my eyes and ears.”
Q Where were you?
A “I was outside, at the entry of the pitlane. I started the race with the Dutch flag. Quite nice actually. The satisfaction: we did it, a great circuit, great pitboxes, great controltower, and lots of spectators. We could congratulate ourselves. We watched the cars leave – we had no communication – and after a lap we saw the positions. I was outside near the armco. And then... we see a black cloud of smoke What could have happened?”
Q You stayed near the armco?
A “Yes, right opposite the timekeeping tower near the start/finish line. Within audible range from the 1st level of the timekeeping office. We also had a ladder, so when I couldn't hear it properly I would climb the ladder and ask what was going on”
Q Then lap # 8.
A “We see smoke, but don't hear anything. Perhaps someone had set fire to some tyres or something like that. We said: can't be that important as the laptimes are still the same”
Q Who saw the smoke first?
A “Someone might have yelled: look smoke. Then we started to analyse: any news from a marshall post? No. I climbed the ladder. Have you heard anything ? No. Well, it might be someting back in the woods. Laptimes? Anyone entering the pitlane? Must be a fluke”
Q But, there are enormous clouds of smoke and you think it is a small fire with tyres...?
A “Yes, something like that. We were not thinking of the race itself”
Q Never one thought ?
A “No, nothing could happen on our circuit? We did build a safe circuit? What could happen on our circuit?”
Q Weren't you a little bit naive?
A “Yes, I think so. Without a doubt. Nothing could happen. But than it sinks in: something is wrong.”
Q Who reported that?
A “The marshalls.”
Q It fits in your story that no one is aware of anything at the timekeeping office.
A “We were unaware and then we found out...”
Q When was that ?
A “During lap #20 we thought: something is wrong”
Q Because there was still smoke?
A “Then we sent the fire truck.”
Q Where did that truck come from?
A “From the Gerlach curve. A slow old fire truck.”
Q An old fire truck slowly climbing the hill 2.5 miles per hour, something like that?
A “Before the truck was on the location of the accident I am still unware of what happened so I could not stop the race. The race had just only started, no drivers come into the pits, so nothing seriously could have happened.”
Q You were still unaware of what happened?
A “We did know something happened but the message we received was: accident, driver OK. He is standing next to his car.”
Q Who said so?
A “I do not know, probabely somebody from the timekeepingoffice.”
Q How is it possible that a race director decides: it's early in the race, the race can go on. Was that normal in those days?
A “Listen: there are three reasons. We had no information that something serious had happened and secondly how do you get everything going again? That would not have been easy with 70,000 spectators. After consulting the sports commission I decided: I will not stop the race. And third and above all; laptimes did not decline.”
Q But you missed two cars?
A “If there would be crashed cars on the track you must lower speed. But there was no reason for it. They all drove with the same speed. And what I never understood is that not a single driver entered the pitlane wondering why no action was taken.”
Q So they were as naive as you?
A “Yes, they misjudged the situation as well. They saw Purley. Can you imagine? Drivers concentrate on the inside of the turn and Purley's car is on the outside. At these speeds you have to focus on the clipping point and not the outside. So it was a combination of things. Things are happening during races all the time. I do not panic too quickly. Imagine: you stop the race and then it becomes evident that nothing happenend.”
Q Can you recall the moment when you heard that it was not OK?
A “No”
Q Why don't you know?
A “I do not know. It gets serious when firefighters enter the track. But the message: 'he is dead'.... I really do not know when that came in. It even might have been my own conclusion. It took a long time before we knew for certain. The story grows.”
Q Did you feel an urge to visit the location?
A “No, it wasn't possible. It is 2.5 kilometers. If you want so, you first need to stop the race.”
Q Spirits were low?
A “Yes, we saw the bad weather coming.”
Q Stewart wins, and then?
A “We should have had a victory celebration. I can't remember. I do not think Stewart was in the mood to celebrate.”
Q Afterwards there was a press conference?
A “Behind a table, in a tent behind the pitboxes. Everybody was yelling about Roger Williamson but the only one who knew him was me. Dennis Hulme made some nasty remarks. People were calling eachother names. I replied: son of a bitch, why did you continue to race at full speed and didn't bother to come in?”
Q Who were present?
A “Everybody who wanted to enter the tent. Everybody hurried inside. Everybody was present. Heated debates. After an hour everything cools down. When all arguments have been repeated more than twice.”
Q Spectators are gone?
A “Yes it is just like a heavy shower of cold rain. Everybody is down, the show is over. I assume we said something along the lines of 'tomorrow another day'. We couldn't change what had happened.”
Q Just like how things were in those days?
A “Yes, so I went to Graham Hill for a drink in his camper on the inner area of the circuit. He just said to me: 'Not so good Ben. Not so good.'"
Q And then?
A "In hindsight we described it as a Titanic experience. It is a new ship which is unsinkable. Hadn't we built a new circuit, the safest of all?”
Q Whereas is was the most dangerous circuit all?
A “But awfully quick.”
Q How do you look back at this period?
A “I think this is a black page in my book. Perhaps I have saved some lives another time as well.”
Q Do you still think of it?
A “Yes. Men can't determine its own destiny. It proves that it is impossible to have everything under control. It depends on so many elements but people expected me to control them all. You will not hear my say not my fault. No. The others were not to blame.”
Q Did you have sleepless nights?
A ”Might be. Roger Williamson was still young and we took away his chance to live a normal life. And he was a nice young man too.”
Q When did you hear your services were no longer needed in 1974?
A “I said that to myself, right after the accident. I will finish this season and then I stop."

I think it was more dangerous than just the sand issue
Stig
 

[cosworth151]

I agree that the old layout at Zanvoort had safety issues, but not to the extent of The Nordschleife at the Nurburgring, the old Spa or even Monza of the day. Remember, this was when JYS had just started his safety crusade. These problems were corected before it dropped off the schedule in 1986.

That is one of the high pionts of A1 - getting to see curcuits like Zanvoort, Mexico City and Brands again.

[davewilson]

Good point cosworth.I agree it is good to see the old circuits still in action for the A1 races.
I think the Bridgestone tyres we have today would fight for grip on some of the circuits in the calender they have.
I took a look at the standings.1Germany 2 New Zealand 3 Great Britain...USA 9th and Australia 13th.
I have watched a few races and it has been very good racing.I have not been tempted to follow it though.