BMF Juniors enjoy exclusive circuit tour during WEC race day

26.11.22

Under the patronage of Bahrain Motor Federation (BMF) President and FIA Vice President for Sport for MENA, His Excellency Shaikh Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, an exclusive, all-encompassing tour of Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) was held for a group of 41 BMF Juniors of various ages and nationalities.

The tour was held on race day during the Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain weekend, the final round of the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

It was organised by the national federation for the BMF Juniors, the kids of officials, with the aim of giving them an up-close-and-personal experience of what goes on on the track and behind the scenes at a world championship event.

The tour coincided with the 2022 FIA Volunteers Weekend, which took place from 10 to 12 November in celebration of those who dedicate their time to make motor sport possible around the world.

“We at the BMF are delighted to have been able to host the BMF Juniors for this exclusive tour of BIC during the Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain weekend,” HE Shaikh Abdulla commented.

“They are the future of our motor sport community in the Kingdom of Bahrain and giving them an insight into the workings of a major global racing event is invaluable.

“We hope that it helps spark an interest in them to pursue a career in motor sport, either as a professional or a volunteer, as we aim to further strengthen our motor racing industry in Bahrain and across the Middle East.

“We thank our colleagues at BIC, the FIA and the WEC for their cooperation and coordination in holding this very worthwhile activity.”

The tour brought the BMF Juniors to all corners of BIC. 

The highlight was their participation in the pre-race formalities at the start grid, where they met FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and other high-ranking officials.

There, they got to see up close the WEC's 37-strong field of Hypercars, prototypes and Le Mans grand touring cars lined up before their rip-roaring rolling start to the Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain.

The BMF Juniors were also able to take part in the Pit Lane Walk and Autograph Session, during which they took pictures with the WEC's star drivers and had all kinds of memorabilia signed.

The youngsters visited the iconic Sakhir Tower and enjoyed a bird’s eye view of the entire track from its upper-most floor. They were also taken to Race Control Tower—the nerve centre of the circuit’s operations during races—where they were able to access the Race Control room from where top officials from the BMF and FIA run events.

The children were then taken around BIC’s 5.412-kilometre track—the same raced on by the WEC’s star drivers in their season-finale—and saw the series of marshals’ stations located at various points around the circuit. Accompanied on their tour by their guardians, they also made other stops across BIC to the state-of-the-art Media Centre, the Medical Centre, the support race pits, the logistics hubs and other key locations. 

At the end of the activity, they received gift bags arranged by the BMF, BIC and the WEC in appreciation of their participation.