Winfield and BIC launch Middle East racing school

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Winfield Racing School and Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) announced that they have joined forces to create The Winfield Racing School Middle East, which will have the mission of detecting, training, and evaluating young motorsport talent from all over the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.

Winfield Racing School, which celebrates its 60th birthday in 2024, has an unrivalled reputation in Europe for the training and selection of talented young racing drivers.

Between the mid-1960s and the end of the 1990s, the school produced 30 Formula One drivers, including 10 Grands Prix winners and two World Champions: Damon Hill and the legendary four-time Formula One World Champion, Alain Prost.

Relaunched in 2016, the school has been involved in the early careers of the next generation of racing talent, including reigning Formula 2 champion Théo Pourchaire, Red Bull junior driver Isack Hadjar, Scuderia Ferrari development driver Arthur Leclerc, and 2024 F1 Academy debutant Doriane Pin.

BIC, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Bahrain Grand Prix this year – the first Formula One race in the Middle East – has largely contributed to the creation of a true motorsport culture in the region.

In conjunction with Winfield Racing School, it intends to continue its efforts by promoting access to driving and motorsport professions for as many people as possible.

Together, with the support of the Bahraini authorities, Winfield Racing School and BIC will develop a global education program through a training centre on the Sakhir circuit capable of developing the most promising future drivers and mechanics.

In addition, the project will offer fantastic activation tools for businesses, VIPs, opinion leaders and key people by organising Formula 4 single-seater driving experience days.

This initiative aims to spread further motorsport culture and deepen understanding of the sport in the Middle East.

Winfield Racing School and BIC will strive to empower the next generation by giving them the tools to succeed in their careers, whether in mechanics, engineering, marketing or communications.

The mission of Winfield and BIC is to serve the professional ambitions of talents in the Middle East and help them realise their dreams.

Potential Winfield Group president Frédéric Garcia commented: ‘’Discovering, training and evaluating potential young talented drivers will be our primary mission at BIC; but we will also develop the events side of the business. For me, the two go hand-in-hand.

In addition, with BIC, which is the home of motorsport in the Middle East, we share the same desire to have a real educational project to extend our training programs across all motorsport professions. “A kick-off driving event will be organised in April before training begins in October.

Our wish is ultimately to find local partners to finance a selection program based on the model that allowed Winfield to build its reputation by supporting a large number of champions in taking their first steps in competitive motorsport. We know that we will have to be patient to nurture future professional drivers, but we have the ambition, the credibility and the know-how to do so.’’

BIC chief commercial officer Sherif Al Mahdy added: ‘‘A partnership such as the one we are developing with Winfield Racing School is a natural progression for BIC, given the work we do to support the next generation of drivers. We are especially excited about sharing this passion that unites us and this vision that we have in common with Winfield.

“At BIC, we have incredible facilities capable of accommodating a wide variety of motorsport disciplines. With the support of Winfield, who will bring its incredible track record as a centre of excellence, we will support the progression of young drivers through the ranks of the sport.

We are also encouraged that our shared vision does not stop at driving alone and will include the training of talented mechanics. We look forward to working with Winfield to develop the next generation of motorsport talent in the region.’’

Bahrain Economic Development Board Business Development for Tourism executive director Munther Almudawi said: “In an island where the speed of innovation synchronises with the thrill of speed, this academy goes beyond a driving institution, bringing to life the unrealised dreams of the next generation of young, driven, talented professionals, further solidifying Bahrain’s position as a leading destination in the global motorsports arena.”