Bahrain

The football association in Bahrain has stated that they will ask for a World Cup qualifying match that is set to take place in March this year, not to take place in Indonesia, due to Indonesia having people who have threatened to kill the national team of Bahrain. "Considering the team’s safety in such circumstances, the Association will apply to have the match relocated," it said in a statement that was distributed over X on Wednesday. "The association does not hesitate to say

Asian champions Qatar started their FIFA Arab Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Bahrain in second Group A match at the brand new Al Bayt Stadium on Tuesday.   Abdulaziz Hatem scored the winner in 69th minute off an assist from striker Akram Afif. With Iraq and Oman playing a 1-1 draw earlier in the day, the win took Qatar on top of Group A. The hosts will meet Oman in their next match on December 3 at Education City Stadium.

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton said he had spoken to Bahrain officials about human rights in the country after promising last year he would not let any abuses go unnoticed. The Mercedes driver, who will be chasing a record eighth world title in a season that starts in the Gulf kingdom on Sunday, detailed on Thursday efforts he had made to inform himself. The Briton said in December he had been moved by a letter from the son of a jailed man

First day of pre-season testing delivers surprise as world champions Mercedes endure difficult start with new W12 car; Max Verstappen two tenths ahead of Lando Norris at head of timesheet in the new Red Bull; Ferrari also hit early reliability trouble Red Bull's Max Verstappen led McLaren's Lando Norris on the opening day of 2021 testing in Bahrain as world champions Mercedes endured an uncharacteristically difficult start to pre-season with their new car. At the start of F1's shortened three-day track build-up to

Formula 1's new-look grid will take on a unique and crucial challenge from Friday as 2021 testing begins in Bahrain, with just three days of track action for teams and drivers to prepare for the season. Less than three months after an intense 2020 campaign ended, 2021's gets up and running at Bahrain's hot and fast Sakhir circuit - rather than the usual Barcelona - with the shortest-ever pre-season ahead of what is set to be the longest-ever F1 season of 23 races.

Changes to the F1 schedule confirmed for the 2021 season with races to again start at the top of the hour and Friday's two practice sessions reduced from 90 to 60 minutes apiece; first race in Bahrain on March 28 will start at 4pm in UK Formula 1 races will revert to starting at the top of the hour in the 2021 season, the sport has formally confirmed, while Friday practice track time has been cut by an hour. Grands Prix had started