BIC gear up for Speed Weekend.

Byline: PATRICK SALOMON

BAHRAIN International Circuit (BIC) is gearing up to stage the kingdom's first-ever Speed Weekend on December 11 and 12 in Sakhir.

The event brings together three of the leading motor racing series - the Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship, the Batelco 2,000cc Challenge and the all-new Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.

Plans for Speed Weekend were unveiled yesterday at a Press conference at the BIC attended by BIC chief executive Martin Whitaker, BIC chief operating officer Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, GT3 Cup head Walter Lechner and BIC sporting championship manager Sherif Al Mahdy.

"What we will have in Speed Weekend is a very interesting mix of racing at the highest level and plenty of family entertainment," said Whitaker. "This event will demonstrate what is great about Middle East motor sport."

The Porsche GT3 Cup will be making its long-awaited debut as part of Speed Weekend. BIC has been working with Lechner for years to put the Porsche GT3 Cup together, and the Austrian, who has been involved in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup (which regularly supports Formula One) for decades, is thrilled that the series is now ready to flag off.

"I like Bahrain very much; I like the island and the people, and the circuit is a fantastic venue, and ever since I first came here I have been dreaming to start this championship. Now that we are going to get it off the ground as part of Speed Weekend, it is fantastic," said Lechner.

BIC's Shaikh Salman will be one of the dozen or so Middle Eastern drivers taking part in its first year. The veteran racer has competed in the Porsche Supercup and other similar classes in the past, and is well-versed in handling the professional Porsche GT3 911 cars that will be used in the championship.

Opportunity

"When the opportunity to drive arose, I jumped at it and did not want to sit on the sidelines just watching something we've worked so hard in the past few years," said Shaikh Salman.

"It's going to be truly exciting, and it will be another platform where our local drivers can showcase their talents at a grand stage."

The Chevrolet Supercars will be hosting its second round of the season following a closely fought battle in the opener last month, held in support of the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit.

The Batelco 2,000cc Challenge, meanwhile, will be staging its third round, and the title battle will continue to heat up with no less than four drivers already in the thick of the fight.

Each series features a cast of the leading motor racing talents from the Middle East. One of them is Bahrain's Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who competes in both championships.

"I was giving it a lot of thought; it's going to be more of a physical challenge because mentally, I am ready to go, and my cars will be well looked-after by my teams in each series," said Shaikh Hamad.

"I'm certain that Speed Weekend will be very popular here in Bahrain. It is something we've needed here for a long time, and it's the right way forward."

Tickets for Speed Weekend are BD7 for both days, while children aged 14 and below can get in for free. Off-the-track entertainment will be complemented by Kart Zone, which will be open to the public on both days.

For more information on the event, call the BIC Hotline on 17-450000 or visit bahraingp.com.

Copyright 2009 Gulf Daily News

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