Bahrain gears up for WEC finale

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Email: hussainm@newsobahrain.com

Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’, held yesterday the official launch of the 2024 WEC 8 Hours of Bahrain, powered by Bapco Energies.

BIC is all set to welcome back to the Kingdom the Spirit of Le Mans in less than a month’s time, with the season-finale of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Details of the event were announced in a press conference this evening at the BIC premises in Sakhir. In attendance were BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Mark Thomas, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bapco Energies, as well as senior management of both organisations.

The Kingdom’s fans will be in for an incredible treat when many of racing’s biggest global stars get into some of the fastest and most technologically advanced cars and put on a show on 1 and 2 November. Mark Thomas, Group CEO of Bapco Energies, stated, “We are proud to join forces with BIC for the 13th edition of WEC in Bahrain.

This event is a great example of how technology can drive performance excellence while emphasising sustainability.

The Green Ticket Initiative has been growing in influence each year. Combined with this year’s expected contribution, the initiative will have delivered around 15,000 new mangrove trees over three years.”

‘Centerpiece’

Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of BIC, commented, “The WEC 8 Hours of Bahrain, powered by Bapco Energies is an event which forms the centerpiece of the early part of our racing season in Bahrain. We are deeply proud to have been part of the WEC since its beginning, representing the very best of global endurance racing.

“Our race continues to grow each and every year, and this is a testament to the amazing spectacle the WEC puts on, with its outstanding line-up of Hypercars and GT contenders alike, going wheel-to-wheel in Bahrain from day to night.

2024 will see the return of WEC’s Open Paddock, which makes for a unique experience for all those attending, while the offtrack entertainment available throughout the weekend creates an enjoyable atmosphere for the whole family. Frédéric Lequien, CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship, said, “We are delighted to be returning to Bahrain for the 2024 FIA WEC season finale.

It is an event that has been a mainstay on the calendar, and with good reason. Our partners at BIC have as ever pulled out all the stops to put on a sensational spectacle both on and off-track, and for that, we offer our heartfelt thanks to Shaikh Salman and his hard-working team.”

Tickets, hospitality options at unbeatable prices

Tickets to the event are now available for purchase.

They cost just BD5.5 for adults and BD2.75 for children for the two-day race weekend – incredible rates offering great value for money to 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 the sporting and entertainment showcase. Hospitality packages are also available with the BIC Special Le Mans Spirit Club Pass.

These are priced at BD290 apiece, excluding VAT, for the two days, with discounts available for tables of 10. The package includes a special dining and drinks offering in an exclusive setting of premium lounges overlooking the pit-lane and main straight.

Green Ticket Initiative returns for third straight year

For the third straight year, BIC and Bapco Energies are bringing back their ground-breaking Green Ticket Initiative. This follows the tremendous success of the project first introduced for the 2022 WEC race. 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.

Very best of endurance motorsport

All fans attending the WEC 8 Hours of Bahrain, powered by Bapco Energies will get to witness the very best of endurance racing action with a packed field of more than 30 cars.

These ultra-quick racing machines feature motoring’s biggest international brands, and they will be lighting up BIC’s 5.412-kilometre track for an experience like no other.

This year’s WEC 8 Hours of Bahrain, powered by Bapco Energies will be the 13th time the WEC will be putting on a show on the island. It will also be the sixth time the event is taking place in its current eight-hour format.

It is the only eight-hour event on the WEC calendar, and it will be flagging off BIC’s international programme for its 2024/2025 racing campaign.

Competition will be held in the WEC’s two categories – the top-tier Hypercar class and the lower-rung LMGT3 category – featuring well-known drivers of the calibre of former Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, grand prix-winner Robert Kubica, MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi as well as Formula E champions Sébastien Buemi, Jean-Éric Vergne, Nyck de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne.

Porsche Carrera Cup ME to kick off new season

Aside from the WEC, there will be plenty more on-track excitement throughout the race weekend with the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East (PCCME) in support. The PCCME is the region’s leading one-make series, run by Lechner Racing, and was born and is based at BIC.

The championship’s first of six rounds in its 2024/2025 campaign will take place as part of the WEC event, with drivers of various nationalities racing in dynamic Porsche 992 GT3 Cup cars.

Off-track attractions

Off the track at the WEC 8 Hours of Bahrain, powered by Bapco Energies, there will be 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 each day.

BIC is bringing back the Giant Ferris Wheel for the WEC weekend – a favourite amongst race-goers at the circuit’s major events.

There will additionally be car simulators, reaction games used by professional racing drivers, and a fantastic classic car show. For the youngsters, BIC has also lined up plenty of attractions.