The first race of the 2010 Formula One season is over and the dust may have settled on the Bahrain International Circuit in the Sakhir desert but the buzz continues online.
The three-day car racing extravaganza culminated with Ferrari driver Spaniard Fernando Alonso clinching first place, followed by his team mate Brazilian Felipe Massa. Briton Lewis Hamilton, in a McLaren-Mercedes, came in third position, to the thrill of a Ferrari-supporting crowd.
Before the race weekend started, Bahraini blogger @Mahmood Al Yousif complains:
oh, my wife and I are the only people actually PAYING for our tickets, everyone else we know's got a freebie! Last time we'll buy BIC tkts:(
And then he goes on to religiously ‘tweet’ the weekend. On the first day, he writes:
BIC are you listening? Ban smoking on stands for goodness sake. We can't breath and it's bloody annoying and filthy.
On the second day of the race, @Mahmood tweets from the stands:
Sitting between 3 ladies fanning themselves and I'm getting the benefit. Is this the life of emperors? Not bad. I like!!
And on Alonso's win, @Mahmood quips:
It's appropriate that the king of Spain is here, he must be very chuffed! Well done Alonso!! Congrats Bahrain too.
Bahrain's own Foreign Affairs Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Khalifa was also on Twitter, registering his thoughts on the weekend's proceedings.
Earlier today, he posted a tweetphoto showing traffic line ups on the way to the circuit:
He also notes:
On my way to F1 race .. Horrendous traffic towards circuit
And at the end of the race, Shaikh Khalid tweets:
With @richardquest .. Almost falling off the tower at the race ! Congrats to Alonso, Spain and Ferrari http://tweetphoto.com/14383101
Meanwhile, CNN's Richard Quest was also in Bahrain, attending F1 and posts the following tweet at the start of the race:
Race underway. loud. view good, n o idea who is winning without looking at TV #F1 #cnn
Before that, he stumbles upon the King of Spain and…
I was wearing shorts in Royal Tower and had to hide when King of Spain passed by ! Faux Pas indeed.
And Salman Al Abbasi predicted Alonso's win and tweets:
For the first time my predictions turn right Alonso 1 #Bahrain #F1 :D
As for Internet junkies, the excitement was running high as Bahrain became a trending topic on Twitter. Esra'a Al Shafei tweets her excitement:
Amazing, my little country is internationally trending for the first time ever! Take that, Dubai!
She then adds:
Come on #Bahrain I wanna screenshot this country being FIRST on the international trending list (to show my grandkids, duh)
Her excitement is shattered when #Bahrain fell off the list. She explains:
Everyone using #BahrainGP instead of just #Bahrain ruined it for us. We're never gonna beat the mothers now.
3 comments
And the excitement and the 10s of thousands enjoying the acticivities and concerts in the entertainment areas was a really fantastic hing to see. I think this is the first time ever I see this kind of “real” F1 spirit in Bahrain. This is the vindication o the vision. Are we growing a Motorsports culture? I’d think yes based on yesterday. Well done all.
Congrats Bahrain!
Thanks Mahmood and Solana.
It was a great day indeed for Bahrain and all..erm.. most F1 fans!