Bahrain confirms provisional 2007 date

BAHRAIN ACKNOWLEDGES PROVISIONAL F1 CALENDAR

Manama, 1st August 2006; The 2007 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix has been given a provisional date of April 13-15 by Formula One Management's Bernie Ecclestone, promoter of the FIA Formula One World Championship. FOM informed the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) of its decision at this weekend's German Grand Prix.

On behalf of the BIC, General Manager Martin Whitaker stated: "Following a meeting with Mr. Ecclestone at the weekend we have now been given a provisional date for the 2007 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix of April 15th. This makes our race the third of the year with Australia opening the season on March 18th and Malaysia three weeks later on April 7th."

The full 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar will not be ratified by the sport's governing body until later in the year, meaning that all dates are currently provisional. This is a situation with which Bahrain is familiar, as the inaugural Formula One Grand Prix to be staged in the Middle East, the 2004 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, was brought forward by six months at extremely short notice whilst the BIC's standard-setting facilities were still under construction.

As the 'Home of Motorsport in the Middle East' and host to three Grands Prix in its first 23 months, the BIC has become a firm favourite on the Formula One calendar and was awarded the FIA trophy for the best-organised race of 2004. In 2006 the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix was honoured with the opening date on the calendar and launching the new 2.4-litre V8 era of Formula One to a rousing reception.

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