BIC launches 42-day countdown to Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain weekend

Manama : The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) has launched the official 42-day countdown to the highly anticipated Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain weekend.

The mega event, which will roar into action under the slogan “On The Edge of Action” at the BIC in
Sakhir from April 1 to 3, will be the 12th edition of the race and will mark the second round of this year’s FIA Formula 1 World Championship. 

It will also be the third successive year the race has been held under BIC’s state-of-the-art track lighting system, a spectacle unique to the F1 calendar.

“The 2016 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is right around the corner, and it is our time to shine once again,” said BIC Commercial Director Sherif Al Mahdy. 

“All eyes will be on the Kingdom of Bahrain in a matter of weeks and we are extremely excited to be hosting yet another memorable weekend for all the fans who join us at BIC, as well as for the millions watching on live television around the world.

“We have had two epic night races that inspired our slogan for this year’s race, “On The Edge of Action” and we look forward to even more thrills this year,” he added.

Gulf Air Acting Chief Commercial Officer Ahmed Janahi said the airline is delighted to continue working alongside BIC.

“Gulf Air has been the title sponsor of the Bahrain Grand Prix ever since it made history as the first Formula 1 Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East in 2004,” Janahi said.

“As the Kingdom’s national carrier this is a key opportunity for us to facilitate travel to Bahrain and give visitors the chance to experience the trademark Arabian hospitality for which our airline is renowned,” he added.

The 57-lap race is scheduled to flag off at 6pm on April 3. Qualifying on April 2, will start at the same time, while an hour-long Third Practice session will be held from 3pm to 4pm. On April 1, Practice One kicks off the weekend’s action from 2pm to 3.30pm, and then Practice Two will be held under floodlights from 6pm to 7.30pm.

A total of 11 F1 teams will be in the fray in a record-breaking 21-race season starting in Malaysia next month and concluding late in November in Abu Dhabi with Briton Lewis Hamilton the two-time defending champion.

Also on the bill is the Porsche GT3 Cup Middle East Challenge set to support F1 on track, which was born and bred in BIC, and it calls Sakhir its home circuit. It will be staging an exhibition round at the Grand Prix, with competitors racing in identical Porsche GT3 Cup (991) cars coming from all over the world including Shaikh Jaber bin Ali Al Khalifa alongside Team Bahrain partner HH Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla Al Khalifa.

Global megastar Avicii leads a star-studded line-up of world-class artists including superstar DJs Axwell Λ Ingrosso and reggae royalty Jimmy Cliff. 

Cliff will be the opening act on April 1 and on stage directly after F1 Practice Two. His show will be followed by electronic dance duo Axwell A Ingrosso. Avicii’s live performance will be on April 2 straight after F1 qualifying and has consistently been ranked as one of the top ten DJs in the world, according to DJ Magazine.

Plenty of off-track entertainment has been lined up including theatre and trapeze shows, children’s workshops and roaming acts. Furthermore, a fully interactive F1 Fan Zone will be on hand, giving fans an exciting inside look into the sport.

Tickets to the five stands range in price from BD60 to BD150 for the whole weekend, with children aged three to 12 years old at half the price and free for those below three years old. They are being sold at the BIC stands in Bahrain City Centre and Seef Mall (Seef District), BIC’s official website www.bahraingp.com or by calling the BIC Hotline on +973-17-450000.