Eighteen countries set for FIA GT Nations Cup in Bapco GT Festival at BIC

An impressive grid featuring 18 countries from all across the globe will be lining up for the all-new FIA GT Nations Cup, which will be headlining the Bapco Bahrain GT Festival at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) this November 30 and December 1.

Promoted by SRO Motorsports Group in cooperation with BIC, the one-off weekend at “The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East” will see drivers from all over the world competing in three exciting series.

At the forefront of all the action is the FIA GT Nations Cup, which will showcase for the very first time an exciting battle for national glory and pride.

The countries that have entered teams in the event include Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

The liveries of each car will integrate the national colours of the competitors, further adding to the spectacle and making them more easily identifiable to fans.

The weekend timetable of the FIA GT Nations Cup includes two 80-minute practice sessions to allow the competitors to familiarise themselves with BIC’s 5.412km Grand Prix track, followed by two 20-minute qualifying sessions that will set the stage for a pair of 60-minute qualifying races.

The feature event will then be a 60-minute main race, set to take place under the desert stars and illuminated by BIC’s bright lights.

While the FIA GT Nations Cup will provide the headline act, the Bapco Bahrain GT Festival will also see action in the inaugural GT4 International Cup and the first-ever Bahrain Classic Challenge.

The GT4 World Final will feature machinery from 12 globally relevant brands, including Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Ginetta, KTM, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes, Nissan and Porsche.

Competitors come from the 12 series either directly promoted by SRO or organised through franchise agreements around the world.

Meanwhile, the Bahrain Classic Challenge will give those in attendance an opportunity to take a step back in time with some of the most iconic racing machines. Held in cooperation with Patrick Peter’s Classic Endurance Racing Series, this popular category features a packed grid of more than 20 cars from yesteryear.

For the first time, Peter Auto’s Sixties’ Endurance grid will be showcased in the Middle East for their final races of the year. On the track are cars whose names AC Cobra, Ferrari 250 GT, Lotus 15, Jaguar E-Type, and many others still echo in the memories of fans of this era of endurance racing.

Tickets for the Bapco Bahrain GT Festival are already being sold on BIC’s official website, through the BIC Hotline, and at the BIC stand at Bahrain City Centre. They cost BD5 apiece for adults and BD2.5 for teenagers aged 13 to 17. Those 12 years old and younger can attend for free.

Ticket-holders will be able to watch the racing action from either the Main Grandstand or Batelco Grandstand, or both, and will also be able to roam the circuit at their leisure.

Aside from the racing, the Bapco Bahrain GT Festival will include loads of off-track family fun and entertainment, including carnival rides, parlour gam es, extreme experiences, children’s activities, and the like.