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Your Guide To Bahrain Immerse yourself in the nation’s culture

AweekonfromIsack’sfirstpointsinFormulaOneandLiam’sreturntoVCARB,we’velandedintheKingdomofBahrainforroundfourofthe2025FIAFormulaOneWorldChampionship.

To prepare for the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2025, VCARB is immersing itself in the nation’s culture to give you the ultimate guide to Bahrain. Let’s get stuck in.

This is VCARB’s Cultural Guide to Bahrain.

ABriefHistoryLessononBahrain

Bahrain is the third-smallest nation in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore and is home to 1.6 million people. An independent nation since 1971, Bahrain has become an epicentre of international trade, banking and tourism and hosted its first Formula One Grand Prix in 2004. Bahrain is a mainly Islamic nation and has some of the oldest and largest places of worship in the region, including the Al Khamis Mosque, which was built in the 11th century. The main language of Bahrain is Arabic.

The Bahrain International Circuit was opened in 2004 and hosted the first-ever Grand Prix in the Middle East. It was an initiative from the Bahrain Monarchy to boost international tourism and seats 70,000 passionate racing fans around its 15 turns in the Sakhir desert.

The first winner of the Bahrain Grand Prix was Michael Schumacher with Ferrari, and Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver with five Grand Prix victories at the Bahrain International Circuit.

In The Desert© Red Bull Content Pool

TheArtofBahrain

The Bahrain National Museum houses pieces from the island that are over 9,000 years old, and ancient artefacts of the Qur’an are on display in the Beit Al Quran (House of Qu’ran). Modern Bahrain art began to emerge in the 1950s, and the nation has become synonymous with pottery, textiles and calligraphy. The official Bahraini government actively encouraged Islamic art.

Every year since 2005, Bahrain has hosted the Spring of Culture, an arts festival featuring local artists alongside international superstars. World-famous violinist André Rieu has performed in Bahrain, as well as the Grammy-winning composer of Top Gun: Maverick, Lorne Balfe.

Bahrain’sLiterature

Recent years have seen the emergence of younger poets who are influenced by Western literature. Traditional Bahraini literature followed the classical Arabic style, but notable modern releases follow structures often seen in English publications. Ali Al Shargawi is one of Bahrain’s most famous poets, known as one of the literary icons of the nation.

The Bahrain Writers Association was founded in 1969 to support the creative writers of the nation and enhance opportunities for Bahraini women to publish their work. Notable female authors include Fatima al-Taytun, Hamda Khamis and Iman Asiri, who was the first Bahraini poet to publish in the non-traditional prose format (no set verse scheme).

BahrainiMusic

Bahrain was the first of the Gulf States to have a dedicated recording studio. Khaliji is the most popular music in the nation. It is traditional folk music using local instruments like the rebab, oud and violin. Ali Bahar is one of the most famous musicians from Bahrain, known as the ‘Bob Marley of the Gulf’.

Another popular choice of music is sawt, which incorporates modern urban music with an oud and mirwas, a traditional drum. Notable sawt artists include Mohammed Faris and Dhabi bin Walid. Other popular artists from Bahrain include Osiris, a progressive rock band and Motör Militia, a heavy metal group.

Bahrain Music Scene© Red Bull Content Pool

SportinBahrain

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of the Bahrain Grand Prix. After all, it’s one of the biggest sporting events of the year. Over 100,000 race fans visited the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. The Bahrain International Circuit also has a dragstrip where the Bahrain Drag Racing Club holds events with some of Europe’s top drag racers.

Outside of the USA, Bahrain is the first nation to host a Mixed Martial Arts world championship. Brave Combat Federation is based out of Bahrain and hosts fights and pay-per-views in over 30 nations, making it one of the most influential nations in mixed martial arts. Cricket, basketball, horse racing and football are all growing sectors in the nation. The Kingdom of Bahrain even owns a stake in Paris F.C.

Football Bahrain Edition© Red Bull Content Pool

FormulaOneinBahrain

The Bahrain Grand Prix is one of the biggest sporting events of the year for the nation. VCARB are fresh off the back of celebrating Isack’s first points in Formula One and the welcome return of Liam. The VCARB 02 made some important strides last week at Suzuka and the team is ready for another thrilling race in the Bahraini desert.

Join us in the paddock from 11-13 April!