Formula 1 in Bahrain: soft power, symbolic diplomacy, and the limits of sportwashing

Abstract

This article analyzes the use of Formula 1 as a tool of soft power and symbolic diplomacy by the Kingdom of Bahrain, the first Gulf state to host a Grand Prix. Using a qualitative and interpretative approach based on documentary and bibliographic analysis, the study investigates how the country has instrumentalized the event to project an image of modernity, stability, and international leadership. It explores the contradictions between the official narrative and a domestic context marked by authoritarianism and repression, especially in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. Grounded in concepts such as soft power, nation branding, and sportswashing, and drawing from International Relations theories (realism, liberalism, and constructivism), the article examines the symbolic limits and reputational risks of the political use of sports. Comparative references to Qatar and Saudi Arabia are included to highlight regional patterns and distinctions in symbolic geopolitics.