Formula 1’s Sakhir Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit will be run on the venue’s Outer course, the championship has confirmed.
Formula 1 has scheduled the postponed Bahrain Grand Prix for November 29 while a second round at the same venue, under the Sakhir Grand Prix title, will be run on December 6.
The Bahrain International Circuit has various layouts that are to FIA Grade 1 standard and on Friday it was confirmed that the Outer Layout will be used for the Sakhir event as a full night event, compared to the Bahrain Grand Prix’s twilight race.
The circuit is only 3.543km long and features only a handful of corners, meaning the race will take place across 87 laps, with an estimated qualifying lap time of under 55 seconds.
Of the expected 2020 venues only Monaco – at 3.337km – has a shorter layout.
The Outer Circuit turns left shortly after the right-hander at Turn 4, before taking in a medium-speed right-hander leads into a left-right chicane, which brings the drivers back onto the Grand Prix layout.
“We are excited to announce the outer circuit as the format for the Sakhir Grand Prix and want to thank our partners at the Bahrain International Circuit for their continued support,” said Formula 1 chief Ross Brawn.
“We assessed a number of options for the alternative circuit layout and concluded the outer circuit will provide the best alternative and will provide a new challenge for all the teams and entertain all our fans with high speeds and fast lap times.”
It will be the third different track layout to be used in Bahrain after the Endurance Circuit was adopted for the unpopular 2010 season-opener.
It will be the first time in Formula 1 history that the championship has raced on two different layouts at the same venue in one season.
Austria’s Red Bull Ring and Britain’s Silverstone held two grands prix apiece this year but the same layout was used on both occasions.
It has not yet been determined whether fans will be permitted to attend the two Bahrain rounds.
Formula 2 will be joining Formula 1 at both Bahrain events and it means that the secondary championship’s season finale will be run on the revised high-speed layout.
Formula 1 will then travel on to Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit the following weekend for the final event of the 17-round season.
