Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2024
Event Overview
BIC is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary next year, as the opening round of the 2024 season and its first-ever Saturday night race at the Home of Motorsport in the Middle East on 29 February to 2 March 2024.
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Hospitality
Due to exceptional demand, we have continued to expand our hospitality offerings. This year, we are delighted to offer The Dome Lounge by F1 Experiences, as well as The Champions Club, both tailor-made in response to the massive interest in hospitality options for the grand prix. In addition, the ultimate in world-class hospitality is available in The Paddock Cub Please note that Corporate boxes for 2024 are now sold out.
View MoreBahrain Rotax MAX Challenge off to red-hot start in season-opener at BIKC
Bahrain Rotax MAX Challenge off to red-hot start in season-opener at BIKC
Bahrain International Karting Circuit (BIKC) hosted an action-packed first round in the 2022/2023 Bahrain Rotax MAX Challenge (BRMC), held over the weekend at the world-class grassroots motorsport facility in Sakhir.
Emerging victorious in their respective classes were Ali Almoayed, Nasser Nass, Luca Houghton, Najashi Rashdan and Omar Alderayan.
Each took the chequered flag in their Final races, which capped a full day of racing around BIKC’s 1.414-kilometre CIK-FIA track.
The BRMC is the leading national karting championship in the Kingdom, with participants competing wheel-to-wheel in their very own Rotax-powered karts.
Ali was the winner in the Micro MAX class. He was engaged in a tough battle with Mohammed Waleed from the start of action, taking Qualifying by just 0.034 seconds before winning the Pre-Final with a more comfortable margin. In the Final, Ali cruised to the win after completing the nine laps in nine minutes 18.793 seconds, with Mohammed finishing 9.337s behind.
In Mini MAX action, Shaikh Ahmed bin Saqer Al Khalifa got off to a strong start by topping the Qualifying timesheet ahead of Shonal Kunimal and Nasser. Shaikh Ahmed maintained his fine form in the Pre-Final, where he beat Nasser by 0.146s to first place.
But in the nine-lap Final, Nasser was able to gain the lead on lap six and hold on until the very end to win in 8:55.963. Shonal finished as the runner-up 0.150s behind, while Shaikh Ahmed completed the podium placers 0.230s back.
It was a tight battle throughout the field in the Mini MAX Final, with Rashid Kanoo and Isa Almoayed placing fourth and fifth, respectively, but both were within eight-tenths-of-a-second from Nasser.
The Junior MAX category also saw plenty of close-knit racing from its field of 13. Houghton asserted himself from the very beginning and set the pace in Qualifying before winning the Pre-Final. He kept up his leading pace to take a pole-to-flag victory in the 15-lap Final with a time of 13:36.039.
Houghton built a good gap in front from his closest challenger in Mohammed Alhasan, who finished 3.022s behind. Sager Almousherji finished third 5.450s from first.
Tye Mejia came fourth, Khalid Najjar fifth and Charlie Godard sixth, while Jaber Alsabah and Yousif Alali completed the top eight. Abdulqader Qasem and Shanthosh Kumar were the other two finishers.
In the Senior MAX class, Rashdan and Muhammad Wally traded blows in the opening two sessions, with Rashdan topping Qualifying and then Wally winning the Pre-Final. But in the Final, Rashdan was able to capture the win, although this time it was Lewis Smith giving him a run for his money.
The pair led the pack all the way to the chequered flag, with Rashdan winning after 15 laps in 13:38.241—just 0.071s ahead of Smith. Leen Alarifi completed the podium places with a 4.972s gap from the victor.
Also classified in the top eight were Talal Alattas, Ahmed Almosalam, Fahad Alkhaled, Shaikha Haya bint Duaij bin Salman Al Khalifa and Tijl Joep Huisman, while Ahmed Kashwa and Abdulla Jaweed rounded out the top 10. Wally did not finish.
Alderayan wrapped up the list of winners in round one by sweeping the DD2 sessions. Battling Ahmed Alsaleh in the 15-lap Final, Alderayan was dominant, winning in 13:34.467 with a 12.875s winning margin.
This year’s BRMC is set to feature eight rounds in all. Rounds two and three will be held on successive days this 9 and 10 December. Rounds four and five will then see the first races of the new calendar year at BIKC on 13 and 14 January.
The action will continue to heat up when rounds six and seven roll into the desert on 10 and 11 February. That will set the stage for the season-finale on 17 March to mark the end of yet another spectacular national karting campaign.
The racing is being organised by BIKC in cooperation with Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), the Bahrain Motor Federation and the Motorsport Marshals Club.
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