The signal is given and the cars set off into what promises to be the most fast-paced supercar action of the season. The event is the Desert 400 and the location is the beautiful, small island country of Bahrain, located just east of Saudi Arabia. The spectators are in for an intense ride as the touring cars take off in a tight pack and remain close throughout the duration of the race. This is supercar racing at its finest.
Ordinary Vehicles Made Extraordinary
As the cars take off, perhaps one of the first things spectators notice is the similarity to their own vehicles. This is because the vehicles used are actually heavily modified production cars. The practice of using family cars sets this race apart from other production car races that typically use sports cars like the Lamborghini or Ferrari. The use of cars that are all similar to one another and also reminiscent of the fans’ own vehicles adds character and spice to this fast-paced and exciting supercar action.
Qualifying for Supercar Action
Races performed on the Bahrain International Circuit begin with a practice session and then a qualifying round. There are two legs to qualifying. The first leg is a 20 minute race among all the drivers. The second leg includes 20 of the drivers from the first leg and takes 15 minutes. The top ten drivers are chosen by competing in one lap where they try to set their absolute fastest time. The action already begins for fans as these top 10 cars qualify within a second of one another due to regulations for similar weight and speed.
Let the BIC Games Begin!
At the Bahrain International Circuit, the qualifying rounds are followed by 2 race days of 49 laps around the 6.3 kilometre Grand Prix layout of the track. The races run at the BIC are endurance based races with compulsory pitstops that allow for tyre and driver changes, as well as fuel. During this high pressure race, fans are getting all the supercar action they hoped for as the drivers hug close together through the fast straights and slow corners. The mandatory hard braking keeps fans on the edges of their seats.
Keeping Supercar Action Interesting
The race can take many formats, and is not the same in every venue. While the BIC sticks to endurance runs for their main events, other V8 super car championship races are formatted as sprints. Sprint races are 200 km with pitstops that are no longer compulsory. However, the teams are required to put in a minimum of 50 liters of fuel per race. Fans love the high energy and sense the competition alive on the track during these shorter bursts of action.
The V8 supercar championship races consist of several races across all the states of Australia, one in Abudhabi, and the well loved Desert 400 in Bahrain. Everyone who has witnessed one of these events understands why fans keep coming back for more at each venue. Every race is a little different, but each brings a high level of excitement to the fans who love the breakneck speeds and tight corners that keep the fast-paced supercar action alive on the track.