Saturday 31 March at 14:15 : Ticket sales for the Bahrain grand prix next month are up 19 per cent compared to one year ago, according to the local Gulf Daily News.

"This shows that the interest in the race is growing and that our marketing efforts have been successful," said the Sakhir circuit's general manager Martin Whitaker.

While Melbourne hosted the Commonwealth Games, last season's Bahrain grand prix was the first on the calendar.

This year, it is round three, to be held on April 15.

Board member Abdul Hameed Kooheji insisted that the small Arab nation had benefited from hosting a formula one race.

"Even five years ago when we travelled, most people we met hadn't even heard of Bahrain," he said.

"Now, people know about it and this is largely due to formula one."