Preparations at fever pitch for Grand Prix

Manama : With less than a week to go before the start of the 2016 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, preparations are reaching fever pitch across Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.

The race track plays host to motorsport’s top flight from April 1 to 3 and a fusion of top-class racing and entertainment. More than 1,200 tonnes of Formula 1 equipment has made or is on its way to the circuit from around the world, with over 650 tonnes being flown in by charter aircraft and another 47 tonnes by commercial airfreight.

Also, 83 containers, each weighing about seven tonnes, are being shipped in by sea. Upon arrival in Bahrain, the equipment goes through customs and is transported from the airport to BIC.

BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa said, “You can really feel the excitement now all across BIC; we are almost there at the race weekend and things are as busy as ever.”

“It’s great to see everybody hard at work, getting ready for our biggest event of the year. It is no easy task getting ready for such a grand occasion, but we love what we do and we can’t wait to welcome everybody for the Grand Prix,” he added.

Personnel from the 11 Formula 1 teams are also beginning to arrive and setting up their home base in the Formula 1 Paddock.

This year’s Bahrain Grand Prix is the 12th edition of Formula 1’s only desert race. It is also the third successive year, the 57-laps sprint is being held under BIC’s state-of-the-art floodlighting system. 

It will be the second round of a record-breaking 21-race calendar that makes up the 2016 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

Meanwhile, Bahraini champion Shaikh Hamad bin Isa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has become the latest addition to the start list of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East and the Bahrain-based one-make series as one of two supporting championships at the Grand Prix, along with the leading touring car category, the TCR International Series.

The Porsche GT3 Cup will be holding two races in Bahrain and are racing almost a month after completing their 2015/2016 championship, where Swiss talent Jeffrey Schmidt of Al Nabooda Racing claimed the title.

Shaikh Hamad is set to compete in the Porsche GT3 Cup’s Bronze category, with fellow-Bahraini, Shaikh Jaber bin Ali, the reigning champion. Other bronze category drivers are Dutchman Rob Frijns, Swede Magnus Ohman and Turk Cengiz Oguzhan. 

The Porsche GT3 Cup support event is set to feature two races of 10 laps each around BIC’s 5.412-kilometre Grand Prix track after practice and qualifying sessions.