FEBRUARY 15, 2002

Now that is power!

FORMULA 1 fan Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain is campaigning for a race to be held in the country within the next few years - and he's a powerful fellow as he proved last week when he decided to declare Bahrain a constitutional monarchy and switched from being an Emir to becoming King Hamad. The country has now been renamed the Kingdom of Bahrain.

King Hamad is nonetheless hard at work bringing a more democratic system to Bahrain and has announced that the kingdom will hold its first parliamentary elections in 27 years in October this year.

The idea of a Formula 1 race is part of the new King's plan to turn Bahrain into a booming, modern center in the Middle East.

If all goes to plan Formula 1 could end being "by appointment to his majesty King Hamad".

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