Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) is set to host the first round of the 2019 season of Ferrari Challenge Europe, according to a press release.
The one-make car race series will take place from February 14-17, as hundreds of Prancing Horse enthusiasts from across the Middle East and Europe will be in Bahrain to experience a showcase of automotive excellence through a series of track activities producing a long symphony of roaring engines.
The one-make championship dating back to 1993, places dream cars and very special customers on the most beautiful racetracks in the world, featuring to date more than 1,000 drivers globally, as well as many memorable races and thrilling performances. The series of activities during the four racing days will also include the F1 Clienti and XX Programmes that follow a separate calendar, occasionally overlapping with the dates of one of the three continental series of the Ferrari Challenge. These global initiatives provide Ferraristas with a platform to race in their single-seaters or “XX Programmes” laboratory cars on exciting and challenging tracks.
“The Ferrari Challenge takes place at some of the world’s most famous, state-of-the-art racing tracks and Bahrain International Circuit is certainly fit to be the first to feature in this season’s calendar,” said Giorgio Turri, general manager at Ferrari Middle East.
“The Middle East is home for some of the most avid Ferraristas globally and hosting such a major event in the region brings a lot of excitement to our Ferrari community. In partnership with our local Bahraini dealership, Euro Motors, we will look to leverage this opportunity to involve our discerning clientele through a special edition of ‘Passione Ferrari’, the platform dedicated for our customers and prospects to indulge in the Prancing Horse experience on a world class racing track,” he added.
The Ferrari Challenge is divided into three continental series: Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. The European 2019 season will commence at the BIC, before heading to Valencia, Spielberg, Le Mans, Nürburgring, Imola and the Finali Mondiali in Mugello. This racing series is sanctioned by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and features four categories suited for different levels of driving, including Trofeo Pirelli, Trofeo Pirelli Am, Coppa Shell and Coppa Shell Am.
Antonello Coletta, head of Ferrari Attività Sportive GT said, “We are expecting another highly competitive Ferrari Challenge season with hard-fought races and packed head-to-head duels, which contributes to the growing popularity of this series. The European series is broadcast in over 90 countries and continues to gain popularity amongst petrol heads and Ferrari enthusiasts in the Middle East, making the Bahrain International Circuit the perfect host for this season’s opening round”.