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PARIS, France - The 2014 Bahrain Formula 1 GP scheduled for April 6 at the Sakhir circuit near the country's capital, Manama, will be staged at night.
Floodlighting has been installed and was tested at the final round of the World Endurance championship.
The move to a night race will mark the 10th anniversary of the first Bahrain GP, won by Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari in 2004 and will also be welcomed by drivers, given the high daytime temperatures.
‘MOST IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT’
Bahrain will be F1's second night race. Singapore has been held after dark since its inception in 2008 and another GP, Abu Dhabi, is a twilight event starting late afternoon and ending after sunset.
Bahrain F1 chief executive Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al-Khalid said the lighting, which he said would be ready in February 2014, was "a major step in our ambitious plan for the circuit. It is the most important development since it was built".
He added: "There can be no better way for us to mark our 10th anniversary in F1."
The Sakhir circuit will replace Barcelona for the final two rounds of pre-season testing in February 2014, with the first session still taking place at Jerez, Spain, in January.
The previous two Bahrain GP's were marred by anti-government protests. The 2011 race was cancelled because of political trouble.
Floodlighting has been installed and was tested at the final round of the World Endurance championship.
The move to a night race will mark the 10th anniversary of the first Bahrain GP, won by Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari in 2004 and will also be welcomed by drivers, given the high daytime temperatures.
‘MOST IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT’
Bahrain will be F1's second night race. Singapore has been held after dark since its inception in 2008 and another GP, Abu Dhabi, is a twilight event starting late afternoon and ending after sunset.
Bahrain F1 chief executive Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al-Khalid said the lighting, which he said would be ready in February 2014, was "a major step in our ambitious plan for the circuit. It is the most important development since it was built".
He added: "There can be no better way for us to mark our 10th anniversary in F1."
The Sakhir circuit will replace Barcelona for the final two rounds of pre-season testing in February 2014, with the first session still taking place at Jerez, Spain, in January.
The previous two Bahrain GP's were marred by anti-government protests. The 2011 race was cancelled because of political trouble.