F2, Porsche Sprint Challenge ME set to pack BIC grid at F1 Gulf Air Bahrain GP 2021 weekend

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Packed grids of no less than 24 cars each are set to line up at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in the two supporting championships that will be taking to the track as part of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix this coming weekend.

The sporting and social extravaganza kicks off the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, and F1 isn’t the only series that will be thrilling fans. The FIA Formula 2 Championship featuring motorsport’s future stars, plus the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East with many of the region’s best drivers, will both add to the F1 excitement. F2 will be holding the first round of its 2021 season in Bahrain, while the Porsche Sprint Challenge ME will be staging its 2020/2021 season’s third and final round. Tickets to the year’s F1 weekend are now available for all vaccinated or COVID-19 recovered individuals. They are being sold at a single discounted price of BD100 across stands for the three-day event. Comprehensive measures will be in place at the circuit at all times to ensure spectators can enjoy the excitement of F1 in a safe environment.

Tickets can be purchased online at BIC’s official website, bahraingp.com, or at BIC’s newly opened stand at City Centre Bahrain, located on the ground floor near gate number three in the West Court.

The stand is operational every day between 10 am and 10 pm.

F2 will be holding the opening round of its 2021 campaign this weekend and the 24 competing F2 drivers will be looking to put on a show for the top flight’s teams, which they one day hope to join. As F1’s leading feeder series, many of the young talents are already test or reserve drivers with some F1 teams, and they are eager to make the step up and join some of F2’s other previously graduated aspirants.

Tough battles ahead

The F2 grid includes the tandem of Robert Shwartzman and Oscar Piastri for defending champions Prema Racing.

The experienced duo of Guanyu Zhou and Felipe Drugovich will be hoping to make a strong challenge for the drivers’ and teams’ crowns for Uni-Virtuosi, as will Carlin’s Jehan Daruvala and Dan Ticktum.

Christian Lundgaard of ART Grand Prix made his presence felt during F2 pre-season at BIC earlier this month and is back for the opening round alongside teammate Theo Pourchaire. Also doing well during the tests was the Hitech Grand Prix pairing of Liam Lawson and Juri Vips.

There will certainly be a fierce challenge with MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor and Lirim Zendeli in the fray, along with David Beckmann and Guilherme Samaia for Charouz Racing System, Roy Nissany and Marcus Armstrong for Dams, and Gianluca Petecof and Ralph Boschung for Campos Racing. The F2 field is rounded off by HWA Racelab’s Matteo Nannini and Alessio Deledda, and Trident’s Bent Viscaal and Marino Sato.

F2 will be staging three races at BIC, with two 23-lap Sprints on the Saturday of the Grand Prix followed by a 32-lap Feature on the Sunday. Meanwhile, the Porsche Sprint Challenge ME will be holding its 2020/2021 season’s third and final round.

The first two meetings also took place at BIC, both supporting Bahrain’s F1 double-header in 2020.

Two more races are to be held, each over 11 laps, with the first on the Saturday of this year’s event followed by the second on the Sunday. The second sprint will be a memorial race, dedicated to motorsport legend, the late Walter Lechner, who was a great friend to BIC and the Bahraini motorsport community, having established the one-make Porsche championship in 2009.

Set to compete in the Challenge’s Porsche Cup cars are a trio of homegrown talents. They are BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, who will be racing in the series’ GT4 class; while in the GT3 class will be Shaikh Jaber bin Ali Al Khalifa and Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa.

They are all representing Team Bahrain and will be flying the Kingdom’s flag proudly in the event. Other GT3 drivers entered are current overall championship leader JB Simmenauer from France; Bandar Alesayi and Fahad Algosaibi from Saudi Arabia; Jesse van Kuijk, Daan van Kuijk, Lucas Groeneveld and Steven van Rhee from the Netherlands; Maximilan Werndl and Richard Wagner from Germany; Robert Sulma from the Czech Republic; Saul Hack from South Africa; and Ayhancan Guven from Turkey. A strong field of 10 others will be joining Shaikh Salman in the GT4 class, including Jan Dobber and Ronald Bezuur from the Netherlands; Micko Branislav from Slovakia; Bandar Alireza and Fawaz Algosaibi from Saudi; Leo Willert and Freddy Fast from Austria; Svetlana Gorbunova from Russia; Markus Sattler from Germany; and Franz Dziwok from Poland.