HUNGARIAN escape-artist David Merlini set a world-record yesterday as part of the festivities at the Grand Prix. Mr Merlini held his breath for 21 minutes and 29 seconds, breaking his own current world-record by over a minute. Before, the world-record stood at 20 minutes and 39 seconds, which Mr Merlini set in Cannes, France, last year, submerged in a crystal clear water tank.

And in front of thousands of fans - minutes before the Formula One growled into action - Mr Merlini wowed spectators by breaking it once again.

Speaking to the GDN, Mr Merlini revealed that he had been invited to Bahrain by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and was looking forward to meeting the crowd.

"I've never been to Bahrain before but I've heard many wonderful things about it and Ecclestone invited me over," he added.

BIC chief executive officer Martin Whitaker praised Mr Merlini's achievement and hoped that similar attractions will be a common-occurrence in future Grand Prix.

"It's definitely one of the more unusual things you're going to see at the Grand Prix and it's another first for Bahrain - it was absolutely extraordinary and it just adds to the whole experience."