The Bahrain circet, home of the Bahrain Grand Prix, plans to return to its original Formula One track configuration for 2011. It follows the use of an extended layout for this year’s season-opening race.
That extended layout, dubbed the ‘endurance track’ by organisers, was used as part of Bahrain’s festivities to mark 60 years of the Formula One world championship. It lengthened the lap from 5.412km to 6.299km with an additional complex of nine corners, starting at Turn Four.
“As the inaugural round of the Formula One world championship’s 60th anniversary season, it was important for us to celebrate this momentous occasion by doing something very unique and different,” said Shaikh Salman Bin Isa Al Khalifa, the circuit’s acting CEO.
“It was an enormous task given the time frame we had to implement it, but one that demonstrated Bahrain’s characteristics as a race promoter prepared to continually make changes designed to heighten the awareness and increase the levels of presentation associated with the sport of Formula One.”
Bahrain joined the F1 calendar in 2004 and now has three track layouts approved by the FIA for Formula One use
