THE Bapco Bahrain GT Festival flags off today at 9am at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.
An entire day’s racing is scheduled and the action will be non-stop with three exciting global championships to be held at BIC’s 5.412km desert track.
These include the all-new FIA GT Nations Cup, the GT4 International Cup and the Bahrain Classic Challenge – all of which will be making its debut at the highest levels of motor sport.
It is being organised by BIC in cooperation with SRO Motorsports Group and Bahrain Motor Federation.
Meanwhile, McLaren Automotive have confirmed that the new 720S GT3 will be making its global public debut at the GT FEstival.
The car is set to make its competitive debut at the upcoming Gulf 12 Hours before undertaking a full racing programme in 2019.
“We are delighted to be welcoming drivers and teams from all over the world for an exciting weekend of racing,” said BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa.
“GT racing is one of my favourite categories in motor sport, and I am proud to see that the Bapco Bahrain GT Festival has so much to offer.”
Action continues till 8.30pm when BIC’s state-of-the-art floodlighting system will be shining brightly.
Drivers from all corners of the globe are taking part in the weekend’s events. An impressive 17 countries are entered in the FIA GT Nations Cup, which is headlining the festival’s two-day programme.
Today’s action in the series will include two 80-minute free practice sessions, a 50-minute qualifying and then an hour-long qualifying Race 1.
The GT4 International Cup will also have a pair of 80-minute free practices and a 50-minute qualifying run today.
The Bahrain Classic Challenge will have a 30-minute practice along with a 30-minute qualifying.
There will be plenty to enjoy at the BIC vending area for all those attending the event, including a Monster Truck show that will surely amaze, as well as extreme activities including a pair of heart-stopping thrill rides such as the SCAD Freefall and a Freefall Stunt Bag, and a challenging Ninja Assault course.
BIC will also be hosting the Zelzaal motor show on the sidelines of the Bapco Bahrain GT Festival.
Official
To find out more about the Bapco Bahrain GT Festival, visitbahraingp.com or call the BIC Hotline on +973-17-450000. Also, follow BIC’s official social media accounts on Facebook (facebook.com/OfficialBahrainInternationalCircuit), Twitter (@BAH_Int_Circuit), Instagram (instagram.com/bah_int_circuit) and YouTube (youtube.com/bahrainbic) for regular updates.
Today’s timetable:
9am-10.20am: GT4 International Cup (Free practice 1). 10.30am-11.50am: FIA GT Nations Cup (Free practice 1). 12noon-1.20pm: GT4 International Cup (Free practice 2). 1.30pm-2.50pm: FIA GT Nations Cup (Free practice 2). 3pm-3.30pm: Bahrain Classic Challenge (Free practice). 3.40pm-3.50pm: McLaren Laps. 4.05pm-4.55pm: FIA GT Nations Cup (Qualifying). 5.10pm-6pm: GT4 International Cup (Qualifying). 6.15pm-6.45pm: Bahrain Classic Challenge (qualifying). 7.30pm-8.30pm: FIA GT Nations Cup (Qualifying Race 1).