Bahrain in global karting spotlight

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

One of the biggest and most prestigious global karting events of the year has gotten underway at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC). Taking place at BIC’s worldclass grassroots motorsport facility, Bahrain International Karting Circuit (BIKC), the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals (RMCGF) 2023 is a major highlight on the worldwide karting calendar.

This year’s RMCGF began last Saturday and continues until Saturday later this weekend in Sakhir. Close to 400 karters from all across the globe are to go wheel-to-wheel along BIKC’s 1.414-kilometre CIK-FIA track. Pre-race formalities have been taking place at BIKC for the participants over the past couple of days.

The on-track action in the RMCGF begins today with the first non-qualifying practice sessions. They continue until Wednesday, when the qualifying practice and qualifying heats also kick off. The qualifying heats continue on Thursday, after which the pre-finals and finals take place the last two days on Friday and Saturday.

Spectators wishing to watch the very best in global karting can attend the RMCGF free of charge. Public access will be from Wednesday onwards. Due to limited capacity at the karting circuit, entry will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

BIKC’s gates are scheduled to open to spectators on Wednesday at 11am, with the last entry permitted at 7.30pm. On Thursday, gates also open at 11am, with last entry set for 5.30pm. On Friday, gates open at 5pm to fans, with last entry set for 8pm. On the final day on Saturday, gates will open from 9am and last entry will be permitted at 4.30pm.

Spectator parking will be at P8. This year’s event marks the second time in three years that the RMCGF is being hosted by the Kingdom. BIKC previously staged the 2021 edition, and motor racing’s future stars are once again set to showcase their talents in both daylight conditions and under BIKC’s state-of-the-art floodlights at night.

Longest line-up

A total of 384 Rotax kart racers are currently entered, making for the longest line-up in the history of the RMCGF. Action will be held in nine different categories, including the 125 Micro MAX, the 125 Mini MAX, the 125 Junior MAX, the 125 Senior MAX, the 125 MAX DD2, the 125 MAX DD2 Masters, the E20 Senior, E20 Master, and the E10. Bahrain will be represented by eight of the Kingdom’s very own Rotax MAX champions.

They include Nasser Nass and Shaikh Ahmed bin Saqer Al Khalifa in the Mini MAX, Luca Houghton and Tye Mejia in the Junior MAX, Oliver Kruglov and Fahad Alkhaled in the Senior MAX, Omar Alderayaane in the DD2, and Lewis Smith in the E20 Senior. BIKC was designed to the highest standards of global karting’s governing body, the Commission Internationale de Karting-Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (CIK-FIA).

BIKC has been hosting the biggest events in grassroots motorsport since its inauguration in 2012. That same year, it became the first karting circuit anywhere across the globe to host a world championship-level event at night. BIKC’s challenging 1.414km CIK-FIA track features 14 turns, which gives the opportunity to see thrilling action when the highly competitive RMCGF fields battle for the podium.