KHP Consulting

Bahrain GP 2006

Welcome Party
A sumptuous welcome to the Formula One community held in the Paddock at the Bahrain International Circuit on Thursday 9 March. Over 800 guests attended this outdoor evening fiesta and were entertained by violinists, break dancers, stunt men, acrobats, fire dancers, musician, lasers and a speech from the Chairman of the Bahrain International Circuit, Talal Al-Zain.

Opening Ceremony
Continuing the dual themes of the 2006 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix – celebrating both Formula One and the vibrant culture of Bahrain – was the official opening ceremony just half an hour before the pit lane opened for the Grand Prix.

Led by the Bahrain Police marching Band, there were children in costume, traditional Arabic dance groups and musicians and three spectacular floats based upon the cornerstones of Bahraini life: the Souk, the Dhow and the Pearl.

To close the ceremony the Pearl opened up to reveal Bahrain’s leading musician, Mohammed Al Bakri, performing his huge hit ‘Beautiful Days’ to an enraptured reception. Such was the style and splendour of the event that, for the first time in its history, the live global TV feed featured this amazing performance.

Grand Prix Weekend
The 2006 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix provided a dazzling curtain-raiser to this year’s FIA Formula One World Championship. Not only was the race itself filled with drama, with running battles for position up and down the field and tigering drives through to the top order by McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen and Williams’s new German sensation Nico Rosberg, but it was one of the most ambitious spectator events in the sport’s history.

A Pit Lane Walk for all holders of three-day tickets also brought new life and interest to Thursday’s preparations as race fans got up close to the stars. Also close to the stars, as dusk fell on Friday, were the competitors in the Grand Prix-supporting Porsche Michelin Supercup. For the first time in the category’s history the cars took to the track with headlights ablaze to create a stunning spectacle.

All weekend there were more attractions: from 5,000bhp Top Fuel dragsters demonstrating their sheer power on the Drag Strip to an array of entertainments, activities and traditional crafts in the public Vending Area. On the picturesque Dhow meanwhile 20 drivers signed autographs and entertained visitors in organized sessions.

Pro-Celebrity Race
The 2006 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix saw a unique event taking place on the race weekends supporting bill: an all-star pro-celebrity race featuring some of the world’s top sporting and entertainment personalities and a host of talented professional drivers.

Famous faces from the worlds of sport, entertainment and media made their racing debuts in front of the Bahraini crowds at the Bahrain International Circuit. A predicted televised audience of 520 million global viewers tuned in to watch the likes of music legend and Jamiroquai’s lead singer Jay Kay, five time Olympic Gold medallist, rowing icon Sir Steve Redgrave and three time Grammy award winning US musician John Legend fight it out on the track.

Jump Bahrain
Parkour (or free-running) is one of the latest cultural phenomena, and an expert team used nothing but their skill and dexterity to cross the landmarks of Bahrain’s capital city Manama and the Bahrain International Circuit during the Grand Prix weekend. The creators of Parkour describe their sport as l'art du déplacement, or the art of uninterrupted forward motion over, under, around and through one's environment. The team of three dazzled crowds across the city and the iconic buildings of the Bahrain International Circuit.