Open paddock, autograph session at BIC for race fans

Race fans attending the FIA WEC Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain and the 2019 BIC National Day Festival are set to enjoy unparalleled access to the heart of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). BIC is treating all ticket-holders to an Open Paddock experience for both days of the endurance racing spectacle on December 13 and 14.

The Open Paddock experience is unique to the WEC, and it is a fan-friendly initiative enjoyed by all. Aside from getting to watch all the high-octane action from the Main and Batelco Grandstands, racegoers will have the unique chance to see up close and personal what goes on behind-the-scenes in the WEC Paddock. This is where the participating teams’ buildings are located to accommodate all team members while at the circuit.

The Paddock is also where the teams have the entrances to their garages, so it will not be a surprise if fans get a chance to meet the WEC’s star drivers as they stroll around the vicinity. Furthermore, fans will get to walk by the Race Control Tower, scrutineering garages, and the state-of-the-art Media and Medical Centres, all of which are crucial to the success of the race weekend. Meanwhile, race-goers will be treated to an autograph session with the WEC’s stars on December 14. It is scheduled to begin at 12.10 pm and continue until 12.40 pm.

It will be located along BIC’s main Pit Lane, allowing fans an added bonus of seeing the team’s garages up close. During this activity, the fans will be able to meet the drivers, shake their hands and even take pictures with them, all while getting their all-important autographs on the various memorabilia fans will have to get signed. Autograph sessions usually attract large crowds, so fans are advised to get to the autograph session’s location ahead of the scheduled time. Both the National Day Festival and WEC will be open to the public from December 13.

The National Day celebrations will be held over four straight days of fun and enjoyment, while the high-octane WEC action will be held on December 13 and 14. Tickets are BD1 per person per day. They can be purchased online at BIC’s official website www.bahraingp.com, by calling the BIC Hotline on +973- 17450000 or at the BIC stand at City Centre Bahrain. The Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain marks the fourth round of the 2019/2020 FIA WEC season.

Aside from the WEC, there will also be racing in racing in two highly popular support series: the MRF Challenge single-seater championship from India and the BIC-based Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East. Off the race track, the entertainment throughout the four-day festival will be highlighted by nightly concerts featuring some of the region’s biggest names in music. They include star singers Balqees, Mohammed Al Salem, Essa Al Marzouq and Abdulla Al Rowaished.

There will also be the biggest fireworks display in the Kingdom of Bahrain, worldclass performing artists from around the globe such as The Black Angels acrobats, Spark! LED Drummers and Stannage International Stunt Team, plus carnival rides for kids, traditional music, food stalls and a shopping bazaar.