The Sakhir International Circuit has hosted the opening round of the F1 season on four previous occasions since it made its debut on the calendar in 2004 – claiming the honour in 2006, 2010, 2021 and 2022.
In each of those years, at least one driver made their first F1 start in the Bahrain Grand Prix, while in 2020 the track hosted two races on consecutive weekends with the Sakhir Grand Prix on the shortened outer loop track also marking the first appearances of Jack Aitken (Williams) and Pietro Fittipaldi (Haas).
A deceptively difficult circuit on which to start out, several newcomers have fallen foul of the circuit’s foibles and made costly mistakes that effectively factored themselves out of inclusion in this list.
On the sole outing for the longer endurance layout in 2010, Williams rookie Nico Hulkenberg blotted his copybook with a spin at the chicane, while in 2021 Haas driver Mick Schumacher was consigned to a lonely evening by spinning after a safety car restart. Still, at least he got past the first lap…
For the avoidance of doubt, drivers that didn’t reach the finish are not considered for the list.
Here, Autosport ranks the five best outings by a debutant in Bahrain – which this year’s crop will surely hope to emulate.
5. Scott Speed, 2006
The first American F1 driver for 13 years made a solid but unspectacular debut in Bahrain
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Car: Toro Rosso-Cosworth STR1
Grid: 16th
Finish: 13th
The first American on the Formula 1 grid since Michael Andretti in 1993 enjoyed a whirlwind ride to the top. The 2004 Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup champion was on the podium on his first GP2 start in 2005 and by mid-season had made his free practice bow with Red Bull in Canada.
In the former Minardi team’s first race under its new Toro Rosso identity, Speed and team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi were anomalous in using a detuned V10 engine among a sea of V8s. Speed actually outpaced Liuzzi, who had made four race starts with the senior team in 2005, and Red Bull’s Christian Klien in Q1 before ending up 16th on the grid, one place behind Liuzzi in Q2.
Struggling with the balance, he put together an uneventful race to finish a lapped 13th, two spots behind Liuzzi but ahead of both Toyotas and Rubens Barrichello’s Honda – not a standout by any means, but a mistake-free event and a finish on the board.
4. Zhou Guanyu, 2022
Zhou enjoyed good fortune to score points on his F1 debut but proved he deserved a…
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