One of the big talking points of the 2012 season has been whether the Bahrain Grand Prix should have gone ahead. In the build up to the race many people were against the race going ahead but after much speculation the race went ahead and was an action packed grand prix.

In an exclusive interview for Pitlane Magazine Sheikh Salman Al-Khalifa the CEO of Bahrain International Circuit spoke about the 2012 Grand Prix.

1) How were visitor numbers for the 2012 race compared with 2010?

In 2010, Bahrain International Circuit enjoyed a record turnout of 100,000 spectators, which was a magical number that was achieved at the perfect time as BIC was hosting not only the first Grand Prix of the year but also Formula One’s 60th Anniversary celebrations.

While we didn’t match that number with this year’s race, we were still very pleased with the very strong turnout of around 70,000 fans, including 28,000 on race day alone.

This is a good indication of how much the motorsport culture has grown over the years in Bahrain and how much the Grand Prix means to the people of the country.

2) Going on to 2013 and beyond is the long term future of the race secure?

Yes, of course. We have a contract with Formula One to host a Grand Prix through to 2016, and we fully intend on extending our relationship with motorsport’s top flight beyond that.

3) Has the fact that the 2012 race was so entertaining boosted tourism to Bahrain since the race?

Yes, definitely. Ever since the Grand Prix, the tourism sector has been gradually getting back on track and is now as healthy as before.

4) Do you think the 2012 race has improved the image of Bahrain?

Yes. Many viewpoints of what was going on here in the country have been changed after the Grand Prix, especially from the scores of international media who attended the race weekend.

5) With so much of the Western media calling pre race for the 2012 race to be called off did cancellation ever come close to happening?

Once the final decision whether to go ahead or not was in our hands, there was never any concern from our side for the need to cancel the race. The situation in the country was completely opposite from that in 2011 when we made the very difficult but necessary decision not to hold the Grand Prix at all. In 2012, we were fully confident that the scene had vastly improved and that there would be no threats to the Formula One family with the Grand Prix going ahead.

Any speculation of the race being cancelled was coming from people who rely only on misleading information being circulated through certain forms of media.

6) What sort of economic impact did the cancellation of the 2011 race have on the kingdom? Particularly businesses like hotels, taxi drivers and others who directly benefit from a grand prix.

The Bahraini economy took a big hit with the cancellation of the 2011 race, especially the hotel industry which relies greatly on the international visitors the Grand Prix attracts each year. This is the same for several other sectors of our society that benefit from the influx of tourists such as restaurants, taxi drivers, car rental agencies, tour operators, local businesses, and the like.

The race generates hundreds of millions of dollars each year in total economic impact: in 2005 it generated $321.3million for the country, in 2007 it was $548million, and then in 2008 we had our best year generating $595.5million.

In 2010 the race injected $295.3million into the Bahraini economy, which was down largely due to the global financial downturn, but still a major impact to the economy.

To take all that away from the country’s income in 2011 was significant.

7) Bahrainis I know personally were very enthusiastic about the race, how popular is F1 with people who live in the kingdom?

Ever since we hosted the first Bahrain Grand Prix in 2004, interest in Formula One has grown exceptionally amongst Bahrainis. In the past, only die-hard racing fans knew what was going on in the sport, such as who the top drivers and teams were and things like that; now, it’s totally different. Formula One’s stars and teams have become household names here. Even people who are not interested in motor racing have some basic knowledge of Formula One.

Moreover, the Grand Prix is not just about racing; it is considered a massive festival here in the country and people come for all sorts of reasons, be it to enjoy the entertainment package that we have put together, or to just be a part of an event this big and to enjoy the atmosphere and the crowd that gathers.

The Grand Prix is basically the highlight of the year for many in Bahrain and even across the GCC; it is the event that everyone looks forward to and wants to be a part of. That’s how popular Formula One has become here.

8) Has hosting a grand prix made more Bahrainis want to become racing drivers?

Yes, the impact the Grand Prix has had with up-and-coming Bahraini racers has been unbelievable!

Beforehand, the number of race car drivers coming from our country could be counted in one hand.

But since 2004, we’ve had Bahraini drivers compete in all sorts of top categories such as GP2, Formula Three in the UK and Germany, several other international junior formulae; and also as guest drivers in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup and V8 Supercars Australia Championship.

Now, we even have Bahraini teens competing in the World Under-18 Karting Championship and Academy Trophy, and many more making a name for themselves on a go-kart.

Further, Bahrain International Circuit is investing on several local and regional championships for talented drivers to begin or continue developing their careers. These are proving to be very popular both locally and across the Gulf.