Asian Motor Sports

Bahrain is expecting a sell out crowd for its first season opening grand prix date next month.

With Australia taking a break from the calendar’s first slot due to the Commonwealth Games, Bahrain has been promoted from round three to round one for 2006.

A spokeswoman for the Sakhir circuit said she did not know exact figures, but expected higher numbers than in ‘05.

”If we compare this year’s sales to last year’s six weeks before the event,” she told the TradeArabia publication, ”there is a 15 per cent increase.”

Hoteliers in the area, however, have come under fire for exploiting the accommodation shortage by raising normal room fees by between 45 and 75%.

One single and double room for radio journalists for three nights, according to TradeArabia, was costing them about $1400. The circuit’s hotel manager, however, defended the rate rises.

”The (hotel fee) structure used in Bahrain is an international one,” said Abdulrahman Qarata, ”and based on all other countries that host (grands prix).”