Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, held on Thursday evening the official Press conference launch for the 2025 FIA WEC Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain.
In attendance at the event, held at BIC, were Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, BIC Chief Executive; Mark Thomas, Bapco Energies Group Chief Executive Officer; Sherif Al Mahdy, BIC Chief Commercial Officer; and senior management from both organisations.
Shaikh Salman announced details of the highly anticipated endurance racing spectacle, which will be taking place 7 and 8 November as the eighth and final round of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
This year’s occasion marks a special milestone for the circuit’s lead partners Bapco Energies, who are marking the 10th anniversary of their title sponsorship of the 8 Hours of Bahrain, which also features Beyon as a support partner.
“This year marks a decade of partnership with the FIA World Endurance Championship, and we are proud to continue as the title sponsor of the Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain,” said Mark Thomas, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bapco Energies. “Endurance racing is about efficiency, performance, and pushing boundaries. Values that resonate deeply with our mission to deliver sustainable energy solutions for the future. Together with our partners, we look forward to creating another unforgettable experience for fans while showcasing the Kingdom of Bahrain as a hub for excellence and progress.”
WEC is the most prestigious endurance world championship under the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), and the Spirit of Le Mans will be coming alive in Sakhir for the race weekend, which features many of international motor racing’s biggest stars and some of the fastest and most technologically advanced cars from the most sought-after brands.
“WEC represents a major part of the growing popularity of motorsport across the world,” Shaikh Salman highlighted. “Both participation and viewership continue to grow since its establishment in 2012.
“It is also an extremely competitive series, with five different winners from the six races so far this season, so there is all to play for in the season-finale here in Bahrain.”
The FIA WEC is known for its high-octane endurance racing action featuring large grids that include two classes: the Hypercar and the LMGT3. These ultra-quick racing machines boast motoring’s biggest international brands, and more than 35 cars are once again expected to light up BIC’s 5.412-kilometre track for an experience like no other.
The series also includes some of the sport’s most popular drivers, such as ex-Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, along with other big names like Mick Schumacher, Kevin Magnussen, Antonio Giovinazzi, Sebastien Buemi, Robert Kubica, and Kamui Kobayashi, to name a few.
“In a grid which will comprise 36 cars in total, there will be much excitement for fans throughout the weekend,” added Shaikh Salman.
“None of this would be possible without the support of our title partner, Bapco Energies. We are proud to have worked with the team at Bapco Energies over many years and are especially pleased that this year is the 10th anniversary of their title sponsorship of WEC. We thank them wholeheartedly for their long-term support and look forward to continuing our work together, not just for WEC but as a lead partner at the circuit.”
This year’s Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain will be the 14th WEC race in Sakhir. It will also be the seventh time it is being held in its current eight-hour format, which is unique on the WEC calendar as the only race of this duration.
The Hypercar class is the WEC’s top-tier category, where eight of the world’s most iconic manufacturers showcase their ground-breaking technologies. They include Aston Martin, Porsche, Toyota, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, Ferrari, and Peugeot.
The LMGT3 class boasts competition that is just as competitive and thrilling. Nine major car brands field their GT cars in this category, namely Aston Martin, Ferrari, BMW, Chevrolet, McLaren, Mercedes, Ford, Lexus, and Porsche.
Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East to open new season at WEC weekend
The Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East (PCCME) will be supporting the WEC all weekend.
This championship is the region’s leading one-make series, run by Lechner Racing and born and based at BIC.
The WEC event will mark the PCCME’s first of six rounds this 2025/2026 season. Other meetings will be held in Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Jeddah, making for a truly regional battle.
Many leading drivers of various nationalities from the Middle East and beyond will be battling it out over two races during the meeting. They will compete in the Pro, Pro-Am, Masters, and GCC categories.
Each driver will be behind the wheel of a dynamic Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup car.
Off-track family attractions to bring fun and festival-like atmosphere to WEC weekend
Off the track at the FIA WEC Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain, BIC has lined up plenty of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. The attractions have been put together in signature BIC style, with so much to see and do over the course of the two days.
Headlining the colourful programme this year are extreme stunt shows, including the return of world-famous stuntmen Terry Grant and Lee Bowers, along with freestyle motocross (FMX) bike stunts and monster trucks, with a monster truck ride for fans also available.
There will be plenty of roaming entertainers coming from all over the world who will be setting a vibrant mood throughout the circuit, including drummers, artists, magicians, Pop the Balloon Man, and much more.
For the kids, BIC will be setting up an exclusive outdoor area where they can enjoy multiple live shows filled with magic and adventure. These will feature popular tales such as The Little Mermaid, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Jack and the Magical Beanstalk.
The kids’ outdoor area will also have various activities where they can play and enjoy the day such as a car-themed inflatable castle, a kids’ train ride, merry-go-round swings, an inflatable obstacle course, and mini cars for endless fun. There will also be face painting and hair-braiding stations.
True motorsport fans will have a chance to test their racing skills in state-of-the-art simulators. There will also be a speed reaction game to enjoy.
BIC and Bapco Energies bring back Green Ticket Initiative for fourth straight year and donates 5,000 trees
BIC’s partnership with Bapco Energies goes beyond what happens on track, and this year they are collaborating again to bring back the ground-breaking Green Ticket Initiative. This follows the tremendous success of the project first introduced for the 2022 WEC event.
For every WEC ticket sold, a proportion of the revenue, matched by Bapco Energies, will be donated to a fund which will directly support the planting of new mangroves in Bahrain.
In the presence of Mr Mohamed Alaraibi, Assistant Undersecretary for Agriculture Affairs, BIC today announced today a new donation of 5,000 mangrove trees, based on last year’s Green Ticket Initiative campaign.
The Bahrain Mangroves Initiative, launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, aims to enhance community involvement in achieving Bahrain’s climate goals, particularly the target of quadrupling the number of mangroves in the Kingdom by 2035. The initiative also aims to support national efforts aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, increasing awareness about the significance of planting and protecting mangroves, and fostering greater community engagement to support environmental objectives.
WEC tickets, hospitality options now available
Tickets and hospitality options for WEC race weekend are now available.
Grandstand seats cost just BD5.5 for adults and BD2.75 for children for the two-day endurance racing spectacle – incredible rates offering great value for money to attend a world championship event.
Tickets can be bought online at bahraingp.com or by calling the BIC Hotline on +973-17450000
Fans are urged to secure theirs as soon as possible so as not to miss out on this major sporting and entertainment extravaganza.
Hospitality packages are also available to enjoy the event from BIC’s luxurious suites. These are priced at BD290 per person, excluding VAT, for the two days. The package is inclusive of dining and drinks, all in a first-class setting of the circuit’s lounge which overlooks the WEC pit-lane and main straight.
A group rate of BD2,800 for 10 people is also on offer.
For more information on the FIA WEC Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain or other events and activities at BIC, visit bahraingp.com or call the BIC Hotline.
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