Almansoori stars with BTCC double as National Race Day brings high-octane thrills to BIC

Almansoori stars with BTCC double as National Race Day brings high-octane thrills to BIC

• Saeed Al Sulaiti and Marcos Ludena claim victories in class in BMC round

Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, hosted over the weekend the fifth round of National Race Day this 2025/2026 season, featuring the Bahrain Touring Car Challenge (BTCC) and Bahrain Motorcycle Championship (BMC).

Ali Almansoori continued his incredible dominance this BTCC campaign, winning both races for yet another meeting to extend his perfect record.

Saeed Al Sulaiti and Marcos Ludena also had reason to celebrate, as they emerged victorious in their respective classes in the BMC.

The weekend’s events were organised by BIC in cooperation with the Bahrain Motor Federation, the Circuit Racing Commission, and the Bahrain Motorcycle Commission.

Action was held along BIC’s 2.554-kilometre Inner Track with competitors going bumper-to-bumper and wheel-to-wheel for plenty of heated, high-octane battles.

Having won all eight of the BTCC’s races heading into the weekend, Almansoori was the heavy favourite, and he lived up to his billing.

Behind the wheel of his Honda Civic, Almansoori set the pace in free practice and then captured pole position in qualifying. He then charged to the chequered flag in the BTCC’s first 15-lap race with a total winning time of 19mins 52.375secs, finishing 2.250s ahead of runner-up Moaaz Elzahrawi. Ahmed Bajnaid was a distant third 16.039s adrift to complete the podium placers. Both Elzahrawi and Bajnaid were also driving Honda Civics.

In race two, also held across 15 laps, Almansoori started from the back of the grid in fifth position with James Taylor driving an Acura RSX DC5 on pole.