F1 legends for Bahrain race

ALL but two of the 20 surviving Formula One World Champions have been confirmed to be attending this year's Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.

This was revealed yesterday to the GDN by F1 advisor to the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) board, Martin Whitaker.

The kingdom's event, slated for March 12 to 14 at BIC in Sakhir, will open the 2010 International Automobile Federation (FIA) F1 World Championship, and will kick start the 60th Anniversary celebrations of the pinnacle of motorsport.

Part of the festivities will be the once-in-a-lifetime gathering of all living F1 World Champions. The motor racing icons will be honoured in a special event during the weekend.


In addition, a selection of cars that represent the entire era of 60 years in F1 will be on display.
Those who have been tracked down by BIC and confirmed to be attending the Bahrain Grand Prix are retired greats Sir Jack Brabham, John Surtees, Sir Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda, Mario Andretti, Jody Scheckter, Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve and Mika Hakkinen; and currently competing champions Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

Only 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen and three-time winner Nelson Piquet are at the moment not attending.

Meanwhile, Juan Manuel Fangio Jr, the nephew of the great Juan Manuel Fangio, who won five World Championships in the 1950s, will also be present.

Source: Gulf Daily News