BIC set for National Race Day thrills
Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), 'The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East', hosts on Saturday round five of National Race Day, featuring two of the Kingdom's premier local racing series.
The Bahrain Touring Car Challenge (BTCC) and the Bahrain Motorcycle Championship (BMC) are both set to hit the track in Sakhir as the excitement builds in the latter half of their 2024/2025 seasons.
Action will be held along BIC's 2.55-kilometre Inner Track from 9am onwards. All are welcome to attend. Tickets cost just BD2 for adults and BD1 for children.
National Race Day is organised and run by BIC, in cooperation with the Bahrain Motor Federation, the Circuit Racing Commission, the Bahrain Motorcycle Commission, and the Motorsport Marshals Club.
The BTCC is the region's longest-running national circuit racing championship, and it continues its legacy this season in its current format. It was formerly known as the BIC, 2,000cc Challenge.
Moaaz Elzahrawi clinched a fantastic double behind the wheel of his Honda Civic in the series' previous round, and he will be looking to repeat that success this Saturday.
Elzahrawi will be up against a talented field that includes Andreas Buelow, Wiebke Buelow, Ali Baqer, Hamad Khamis, and Isa Ebrahim, all of whom will also be in Civics, along with the Radio Bahrain entrant in a Honda Integra. Saturday's events in the BTCC will feature a practice session, to be followed by qualifying and then two races.
Meanwhile, the BMC will see a large group of 18 riders battling it out in the championship's two categories – the 600cc and 1,000cc.
Mohamad Alzaidan took the overall and 600cc victories in the last round, while Nawaf Al Shuaibi won in the 1,000cc category. Alzaidan is back in his Kawasaki ZX6 bike this weekend, and in his class will be up against Shaikh Khalid Al Khalifa and Mohamed Al Sadiq in Triumph Daytonas, Nasser Al Khadra and Saif Al Buainain in Yamaha R6 bikes, Ali Bu Sahri and Abdulrahman Ahmed in a pair of Honda CBR600RR contenders, Achraf Hamoud in a Suzuki GSXR600, and Faisal Bader in a Honda CBR600.
Amongst the 1,000cc competitors, Al Shuaibi is returning in his Honda CPR 100 RR. He will be going wheel-to-wheel against Hassan Al Awadhi and Mujahed Alkhashram in a pair of Yamaha R1 bikes, Bander Bahlul in a BMW 10004R, Fahed Al Hashash in a Suzuki GSXR, Saud Al Toura and Abdulrahman Al Tayeb in BMW S 1000RR contenders, Bradley Stewart in a Ducati 848 Evo, and Fahad Algosaibi in a BMW 1000RR.
The BMC schedule will consist of a practice and qualifying session, followed by a single race. After all the action, the podium ceremonies will take place for both series.
National Race Day is scheduled to feature seven rounds this 2024/2025 season at BIC, to be held all the way through to May.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Weekly
08-05-2025
- Gulf Weekly
Lego lady!
Motorsport maverick Faten Amin, the first Bahraini woman in a host of top organising roles in the sport, has taken her journey off-road with her collection of unique Lego F1 sets. The 39-year-old Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) digital content executive is blending her love for the sport with her relatively recent hobby of Lego set-building. 'I have 66 sets so far, but not all of them are built – about 14 to 15 sets are not built yet,' she told GulfWeekly during the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix held at the BIC in mid-April. 'I like to have a collection, rather than having one or two sets, and Lego kept bringing out more sets, so my hobby just keep on growing.' But Faten is more than just a collector. She's created a unique niche for herself by documenting her Lego builds through ASMR-style videos on TikTok, capturing the satisfying clicks of each piece coming together. 'When I build the sets, I do a video where it's music-free to keep the focus on the ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) click, making sure that it is very clear,' she added. Last year, Faten made history as the first Bahraini woman to serve as Clerk Of the Course (COC) for the FIA Formula 3 Championship during the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. This year, in addition to her duties at the BIC, she had a dual role for the support races happening during the race weekend – deputy COC for the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East and chief communications for F2. However, she was able to make time to stock up on new Lego sets, one of which she even got signed by the Ferrari duo of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. 'Ever since I was young, I was always fascinated by Lego but I never had the time or budget for it,' she reminisced. 'However, that changed in 2019, when my husband bought me a Lego Movie Maker set because I do stop motion videos. The set could actually help me do stop motion with Lego, and it teaches you everything. 'He saw the set and knew it was perfect for me. Ever since then, I just kept on buying the sets that I wanted, like the Friends set, the McLaren, and it just grew.' The first set that she worked on was a small speed champion car, which she completed in about 90 minutes. Up next was the 2022 McLaren F1 car, which took her about 10 hours. What started as a casual interest quickly transformed into a serious collection, with Faten now boasting an impressive collection spanning diverse themes, from F1 racing sets to botanical collections featuring delicate roses and tulips. 'When I'm building these sets, I can meditate with no thoughts at all,' she explained. 'It just clears the mind. That's what I like. I like to sit and clear my mind out of everything from life. That's why I enjoy building it. It's like my yoga session with building Legos.' Her most challenging build to date was the Ferrari Daytona set, a 24-hour project she completed just a few days before giving birth – something that didn't even hold her F1 organising ambitions, as she served as the COC last year while pregnant. A veteran marshal since 2005, Faten has been a pivotal figure in Bahrain's racing community. Last year, she made history by becoming the first female Clerk of the Course for Formula Three – a remarkable achievement she accomplished while eight months pregnant. Her collection reflects her motorsports passion, with numerous F1 and racing-themed Lego sets taking pride of place in her home. She even treasures a small piece of carbon fiber from an F2 wing – a memento from her early marshalling days. 'I've always been passionate about motorsports,' Amin explains. 'From watching NASCAR as a child to marshalling at local races, it's been a lifelong love.'
Daily Tribune
06-05-2025
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Accelerates Its Role on the Global Motorsports Stage
TDT | Manama The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Bahrain, in partnership with Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), held a business networking luncheon yesterday at the Sheraton Bahrain Hotel, focusing on Bahrain's role in global motorsports and its economic impact. Speaking exclusively to TDT, H.E. Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of BIC, shared a candid insight into the spirit that drives Bahrain's Formula 1 experience from behind the scenes: 'You know, it all starts with our people — from the moment guests arrive during Formula 1 week, you'll see Bahrainis at the airport handling everything with care and humility,' he said. 'That sense of kindness, of treating visitors like family, is something quite unique here. Many leave saying they never expected such warmth from a place they didn't know much about — and that's when you realise they become ambassadors for our small island.' He added, 'Of course, safety is always our top priority. We work on it every year to make sure everything runs smoothly. But beyond that, motorsports is about bringing people together. That spirit of enjoying an event, of feeling part of something, is at the heart of what we do. And it shows — the fact that fans choose Bahrain year after year out of a 23 or 24 race calendar means we're doing something right.' The keynote speech by H.E. Shaikh Salman later built on this theme, delivering a compelling reflection on how Bahrain has not only cemented itself on the Formula 1 calendar but also aims to play an even bigger role on the international stage. The event was well-attended by a diverse group of influential business and financial leaders, including Khalid Humaidan, Governor at the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB); Ali Moosa, Vice President of AmCham; Daniel Taylor, Treasurer of AmCham; and Michel Sawaya, Board Director of AmCham. Also in attendance were Zahra Taher, Secretary of AmCham; Jassim Darwish, Executive Technical Advisor at GPC; Iyadh Borgi, CFO at Zain Bahrain; Ali AlShamma, CFO at Singapore Gulf Bank; Amine El Hajj, Chairman of BNP; Sh. Fahad Al Khalifa; and Laila Danesh of Finmark Communications. "We're proud — but we're not done yet" In a speech that was part celebration and part rallying cry, H.E. Shaikh Salman reminded attendees of the long road Bahrain has taken since it first embraced motorsports in 1953 through the Bahrain Motor Federation — decades before Formula 1 arrived in 2004. 'Many people think it all started in 2004,' he said. 'But our journey began much earlier. We've built something special, but we can't rest. We need to look at what the U.S. is doing with events like the Miami Grand Prix — the scale, the ambition — and push ourselves even further.' H.E. Shaikh Salman admitted he disliked benchmarking Bahrain against other countries but acknowledged the importance of doing so. 'It's uncomfortable, but necessary. We're among giants now like the U.S. and the UK, so we have to act like it.' American viewership, regional pride H.E. Shaikh Salman noted that over 52 million Americans now follow motorsport, a figure he says "reflects well on the sport and the country." He emphasized the significance of fostering U.S.-Bahrain commercial collaboration, pointing to growing synergies through events like Formula 1 and the expanding footprint of manufacturers like Cadillac. Bahrain welcomed over 12,000 fans at this year's Formula 1 Grand Prix, a rise from last year's attendance and further proof that the island nation is becoming a major attraction in global motorsports. Local impact, global story AmCham President Qays Zu'bi highlighted the symbolic importance of McLaren's victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April, praising H.E. Shaikh Salman's leadership as pivotal to that success. 'It's a proud moment for all of us.' H.E. Shaikh Salman also spotlighted the pride in having a Bahraini-owned F1 team — McLaren, the oldest team on the grid — and emphasized Bahrain's unique status in the region. 'We're the only country in the Middle East to own a Formula 1 team. That's no small feat.' He closed by highlighting the development of Bahraini talent, particularly the marshals. 'In April's race, so many of our marshals were Bahrainis. That's what makes this more than just a sport, it's a national effort.' Looking ahead While Bahrain's motorsports track record already turns heads, the message from the Sheraton ballroom was clear: the Kingdom is shifting gears, not slowing down. As Bahrain continues to advance its goals of economic diversification and global positioning, the Kingdom seems poised not just to stay on the circuit, but to lead it.
Daily Tribune
30-04-2025
- Daily Tribune
BIC launches five-day countdown for 20% discount on tickets to F1 weekend in 2026
Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), 'The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East', launched yesterday the final five-day countdown for its incredible 20% discount on grandstand tickets to the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in 2026. BIC is calling on motorsport fans around the world to act now and secure their seats for next year's grand prix spectacle while getting the best value for money with this limited-time offer. It is never too early to purchase your tickets to the Kingdom of Bahrain's biggest and most highly anticipated sporting and entertainment event, which promises to be yet another unforgettable occasion following the record-breaking race weekend of the current F1 season. Running only until at 11.59pm this Sunday, 4 May, the 20% price reduction is available for tickets to BIC's Main, Turn 1, Beyon, University, and Victory grandstands. All these seats were completely sold out – in record time – for Bahrain's 2025 race, held earlier this month in Sakhir. Fans are thus advised to get their tickets early and take advantage of this fantastic offer. The 20% price reduction is the first opportunity to guarantee seats at prices BIC assures will not be beaten. The tickets can be bought online at the circuit's official website or by calling the BIC Hotline on +973- 17450000. This discount will not be available at any other t i m e leading up to next year's F1 weekend.
