Formula One: Driven to the desert

BIZSPORT

The Formula One caravan is in Bahrain this weekend. A few weeks ago, the world's best golfers were in Dubai. In just over a year and a half from now, Asia's best athletes will gather in Doha Qatar for the continent's biggest sporting event, the 2006 Asian Games.

Sport continues to be a vehicle for world business. TV stations, construction conglomerates, sports management companies, tourism departments are all seen bracing themselves each time a major sporting event comes to their region.

With events like the Olympic Games and World Cup football coming only once in four years, many countries are looking at the option of having smaller events, but with equally high focus, which will ensure that the world's attention is on them for those few days.

As a result of top-dollar events like golf events with major stars like Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, or a Formula-1 race, or a big tennis event, top names have become attractions for various countries that have deep pockets. This in turn cascades into a business opportunity for various segments within the country.

The examples of Malaysia and Dubai have been mentioned time and again. Dubai has big-time ATP tennis and Desert Classic Golf, which Tiger Woods himself says is among the 'best' in the world.

Recently, Dubai added an Autodrome to its sporting arsenal in a manner of speaking. It is built to Formula One-standard and specialises in motor sport activities. Dubai has so far not made any bid for a Formula One race "" but if and when it does, it will be a big contender.

Malaysia has its own F-1 race and big golf events; it has already hosted Commonwealth Games and in the near future could have many more sporting events at the Asian and world level.

Now let's shift our attention to Bahrain, which will host its maiden F-1 race this weekend. Over 2.5 billion people watch every F-1 race. And only a fraction of them will be there in person, but that fraction is a big-spending group, which often travels from race to race each year.

Then of course there are the teams and their entourages. The F1 entourage by itself is in excess of 2,000 people who by their nature are big spenders.

The Bahrain International Circuit is a multi-purpose major motor-sporting arena that is the most advanced in the world. It includes an F-1 track, a drag-strip, and an oval track. It's also going to have go-kart, motor-cycle, drag-racing and other motor-sporting events.

It came at a cost of 57 million Bahraini Dinars (1 BHD is approx equal to $2.65) but that money could be recovered in a few years time, if all the other business linked to it can take advantage of it.

When the F-1 race takes place, many people in western countries will rush to their atlases to check where the country is. Doubtless they will also get to know a little about it. And with time, they will also realise what is available there. If the tourism department gets into the act, the rewards will be manifold.

The actual race lasts around 90 minutes but the whole event is a three-day programme, which includes testing and practice. More than 90 TV stations from across the world will show it.

For Bahrain, this will be the best chance to showcase itself to the rest of the world. Thus far, the country has been seen as a small country of rich sheikhs, where nothing but sand is commonplace.

The race could change a lot of those perceptions. Once upon a time, Dubai was seen only as a place where poor labourers went to make some money and live in stifling conditions. Now Dubai is seen as a business centre for the world.

Bahrain's leading hotels are said to be full despite the high rates that some of them are charging. The rates are up by four times to BD 200 ($530) a night.

Gulf Air, the official airline of the race, is running full and Bahraini papers are reporting that the country has never seen such an influx of visitors and such frenzy for any event.

On Sunday, whether or not Michael Schumacher, winner of the first two races this season, is up there on the podium, you can be sure that Bahrain will be the new name on every viewer's lips.

And the people visiting it could well be having the time of their lives, what with planned beach parties, nightclubs and all such spots gearing up for the biggest sporting event in the Middle East.