Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa enjoyed an impressive double in the season-opening round of the 2015/2016 Bahrain Rotax Mojo Max Challenge, held over the weekend at Bahrain International Karting Circuit (BIKC) in Sakhir.
Shaikh Isa won both races in the Max class of the BRMMC to highlight an action-packed event that also featured plenty of tightly knit racing in the SWS Bahrain Championship (SSWS).
Both the BRMMC and the SSWS make up the Bahrain Karting Sprints Championship (BKSC), which is organised by BIKC in cooperation with Bahrain International Circuit and the Bahrain Motor Federation.
Ali Baslar and Abdulla Buhindi joined Shaikh Isa in having reasons to celebrate, winning a race each in what was the third round of the 2015/2016 SSWS season.
In the BRMMC, Shaikh Isa claimed a fine race one victory after a heated battle with His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Khalifa. In the end, only 0.444 seconds separated the pair.
Hussain Hasan claimed third place 8.682secs behind Shaikh Isa, while Abdulla Beshara came fourth 18.576secs back.
In race two, Shaikh Isa was in even more dominant form. He claimed the chequered flag comfortably, enjoying a 7.308secs gap ahead of runner-up Hasan. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed was third 8.657secs back.
Zaid Audih and Talal Beshara also took part in both Rotax races while competing under the Junior Max category. Zaid finished ahead of Talal both times.
Meanwhile, in an immensely thrilling SSWS meeting, Baslar claimed the first race in style, overcoming a packed and highly competitive grid that featured a total of 18 participants.
He won the narrowest of races in the end, with all four frontrunners finishing within four-tenths-of-a-second amongst each other.
Baslar took the chequered flag just 0.039secs in front of Khalied Alsaie. Buhindi claimed third place 0.340secs back, while Mohammed Mattar was 0.384secs adrift in fourth place.
Rashid Almuammari (+7.101secs), Bader Mubarak (+8.251secs), Ahmed Ebrahim (+11.504secs) and Younes Alouair (+12.902secs) completed the top eight.
In race two, it was Buhindi’s turn to triumph, leading the same top four who were once again all within four-tenths-of-a-second from one another, illustrating the highly competitive nature of the kingdom’s SSWS.
Alsaie was again classified second after coming just 0.046secs behind the winner. Mattar made it onto the podium in third 0.317secs back, while Baslar had to settle for fourth place finishing 0.399secs adrift.
Ebrahim (+0.857secs), Mubarak (+4.959secs), Elouaid (+9.274secs) and Almuammari (+11.897secs) were fifth through eighth.
At the end of all the action, the winners were awarded their trophies in a podium ceremony.
The BKSC returns to action on November 14 with the second round of the BRMMC and round four of the SSWS at BIKC.
For more information on BIKC’s offerings and competitions, visit www.bahrain-karting.com or call 1745-1745.