Shaikh Salman, Faqihi win

Manama  : Shaikh Salman bin Isa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Mohamed Faqihi claimed a victory apiece in an exciting fourth round of the BIC 2,000cc Challenge, held on Friday as part of the National Race Day at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.

Despite their victories, both drivers had mixed luck in the meeting.

Shaikh Salman won a wet first race but then dropped out of race two due to engine trouble, while Faqihi made up for his non-classification in race one with a hard-fought victory in the second sprint.

Mishal Alneaimi and Ali Alshammari both came away with fantastic doubles in their respective series. Alneaimi won both races in the Bahrain Superbike Championship (BSBK) while Alshammari enjoyed his own pair of victories in the Bahrain Motorcycle Racing (BMR) 600.

All the action was held along BIC’s 2.550-kilometre Inner Track.

Shaikh Salman (one minute 17.255 seconds) in qualifying had started the day topping the timesheet in practice and then pole position in his white Honda CIVIC.

The defending champion continued his fine form in race one, getting off to a clean start to maintain his advantage ahead of a chasing pack that included Faqihi , also in a white CIVIC and Raed Himmo in a black CIVIC. Midway through the race, Faqihi and Himmo could not continue eventually leading to their non-classification.

Shaikh Salman (17:40.552) went on to secure a pole-to-flag victory in comfortable fashion, while Lee Stones (+41.221) took advantage of the opportunity and finished as the runner-up in his BMW 3 Series/F20C, with Martyna Al Qassab (+1:21.43) was third to become the first-ever lady driver to finish on the podium in the history of the BIC 2,000cc Challenge in her silver Renault Clio.

Ramzi Al Qassab in a silver CIVIC, Michael Priester in a white Honda CRX and Mohammed Janahi in a Red Mini Cooper Works rounded out fourth to sixth places.

In race two, Faqihi did well to battle from his starting position on the fourth and final row alongside Himmo, with Janahi and Priester forming the front two.

Shaikh Salman, starting from sixth, was forced out of the race after three laps and Faqihi (18:15.522) took over as the leader with Stones (+2.978) in second, Himmo (+4.679) third and Janahi and Al Qassab rounded out the top five.

Mishal Alneaimi (12:38.430) enjoyed a fine double in the BSBK, which featured 13 riders competing on identical Ducati 899 Panigale sports bikes.

After not finishing in first place in race two of the previous round held in January – the first time he wasn’t the victor in any race in this regional series – Alneaimi stormed out of the gates this meeting.

The Qatari was nearly a second quicker than his closest rival in qualifying, and then took the race one chequered flag in ahead of runner-up Fahad Alsowaidi (+4.616), while Ahmed Almuyini (+9.809) was third with Alshammari, Salman Khalaf and Wesley Pearce completed the top six.

In race two, Alneaimi (12:49.772) did well to fight his way back to the front after losing four positions in the early stages of the race, while Mike “Spike” Edwards (+4.290) claimed second place and Alshammari (+13.465) third with Alsowaidi, Almuyini and Khalaf in the top six.

Alshammari (13:10.960) transferred his exceptional form to the BMR 600, where he was competing in the Super Stock category riding his Kawasaki ZX6R. He won race one Ahead of in front of Ali Ahmed Adiby (+3.844) also on a ZX6R in second and Mohammad Adhan Al Zaidan (+15.364) in third on a Yamaha R6.

In the Hornets class where riders were competing on identical 600cc Honda Hornet bikes, Pawel Rosciszewski won race one with David Wynne in second. Khalifa Khalil Ebrahim was third. In race two, Alshammari (+13:14.322) completed his Super Stock double, with Al Zaidan (+10.776) in second, while Nawaf Al Shuaibi (+17.726) was third, with Rosciszewski, Wynne and Adel Najjar rounded out the top six.