Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) welcomes back the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) this December, and for the first time ever it will be held together with the BIC National Day Festival.
This four-day extravaganza is scheduled to take place from December 13 to 16 at “The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East” in Sakhir, and it will be the biggest event held at BIC outside of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.
Details of the massive occasion were announced at a press conference yesterday at the BIC premises in Sakhir.
Speaking at the media gathering were BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, FIA WEC CEO Gerard Neveu and FIA WEC former World Champion and current AF Corse talent James Calado.
The WEC returns with an extended eight-hour event, sponsored by long-term BIC partner Bapco. Both WEC and National Day will be open to the public from December 13, with WEC running for two days and National Day celebrations offering four days of entertainment, concluding on December 16.
The BIC also announced a major event package for the four-day festival, with regional superstar singer Balqees announced as first major concert act, together with a vast array of stunt shows, entertainers, bands and performers.
Tickets are just BD1 per person per day and can be purchased from today via the BIC Sales Department or from November 1 onwards at the BIC Welcome Centre or the BIC stand at Bahrain City Centre.
Proud
Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the BIC, said: “We are very proud to be welcoming back the World Endurance Championship this December. The Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain, together with the BIC National Day Festival, makes for a unique celebration.
“We expect to attract some of our biggest ever crowds to enjoy the very best of endurance racing and the huge amount of entertainment on offer for National Day, including regional superstars for our supporting concert programme. It will be a truly festival atmosphere at the Home of Motorsport in the Middle East.”
Gerard Neveu, CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship, added: “We are very happy to be returning to Bahrain International Circuit, which is the WEC’s natural home in the Middle East and a favourite with our teams for its facilities, climate, organisation and guaranteed warm welcome.
“The Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain, which will form the central part of the circuit’s National Day festival of motorsport, will mark the mid-point of Season 8 for us, and we are looking forward to providing visitors with exciting and unpredictable racing entertainment on track, as well as holding our traditional ‘Rookie’ test the day after our race for champions of the future.”