Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) is all set to welcome for the first time one of the world’s leading motor racing championships.
Taking place on November 17 and 18 in support of the FIA WEC Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain, the highly acclaimed World Series Formula V8 3.5 will be one of three supporting championships that will be putting on a show that upcoming race weekend in Sakhir.
The World Series is one of the most sought-after open-wheel racing championships. Several Formula 1 drivers have raced in this category as they made their way up the ladder to the top flight. They include Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen, Carlos Sainz Jr., Robert Kubica, Giedo van der Garde, Narain Karthikeyan, Heikki Kovalainen, Kamui Kobayashi and Karun Chandhok, to name a few.
Cars in the series currently feature Dallara T12 chassis. They are powered by a 3.4 litre V8 engine producing 530 BHP at 9250 rpm, developed by Zytek. In addition, a Drag Reduction System is used, which operates in a similar way to the one in use in Formula 1.
The World Series’ long-awaited Bahrain debut will mark the ninth and final round of the 2017 season. It has also made stop-overs in the UK, Belgium Italy, Spain, Germany, Mexico, and the US.
Heading into the desert race weekend, both the drivers’ and teams’ championships remain up for the taking.
Pietro Fittipaldi of Brazil leads the championship with 223 points. The grandson of two-time Formula 1 World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi, he already has six victories this season, with two races left in Bahrain. Right behind him on 213 points is Matevos Isaakyan of Russia, while his countryman Egor Orudzhev is third on 198 points. Mexican Alfonso Celis Jr., who is a Formula 1 test driver with Force India, is fourth on 192 points.
In the teams’ championship standings, SMP Racing with AVF lead with 411 points while Lotus are second with 397 points. Fortec Motorsports are in third place followed by RP Motorsport, Teo Martin Motorsport and Il Barone Rampante.
Aside from the World Series, the other championships supporting the FIA WEC Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain are the MRF Challenge and the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.
Tickets to the race weekend are now available. Tickets cost BD10 apiece for the entire weekend while all those aged 12 and below can get in for free. Tickets can be purchased online atwww.bahraingp.com or by calling the BIC Hotline on +973-17-450000.
Race goers will be free to watch all the high-octane action from the Main Grandstand and also enjoy an Open Paddock experience throughout the entire weekend. Watching the event from the Main Grandstand overlooks the start and finish line, the main pit lane and the main straight. Meanwhile, the Open Paddock will give fans a chance to experience what goes on behind the scenes in the WEC paddock, where they will likely get a chance to meet one or more of the championship’s star drivers.
For more information on the FIA WEC Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain, visitwww.bahraingp.com or call the BIC Hotline.
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