V8 Supercars have definitely earned their place in Bahrain. It all started in 2006 when the Bahrain International Circuit became the first country in the Middle East to host the Australian V8 Supercar Series. This event is known as the Desert 400 and is a spectacular event. However, this has now lead to Bahrain hosting the WGA Chevrolet Supercar Championship which is also growing in popularity next to the Australian Supercar Series. The new 2010/2011 champion kicked off in the first weekend of December which has been dubbed as “Speed Weekend”.
Speed Weekend
A speed weekend kicked off the WGA Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship. Organized by Sherif Al Mahdy, this was the first round out of six for a season that crosses the Middle East and is one of the most competitive series in the Middle East. It was a 2 day event falling on December 2nd and 3rd. This season there are a lot of new rules and even some new drivers to spice up the excitement.
Competitors
Of course, the fans from Bahrain come expecting to see their favourites, and they were not disappointed. Representing the Kingdom of Bahrain was the Batelco Racing Team and the Alba Racing Team. Making up the former team was Raed Raffii and Mohammed Mattar. Making up the latter team was Faisal Raffii and Mustafa al Khan. For Saudi Arabia Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh and Abdulla Al Dossari made up the Samuz Motorsport Team; and Tarik El Gamal and Mohammed Al Owais made up the UAE Team Lap 57.
Mechanical Updates
The 2010 race saw many mechanical updates that added to the already exciting race. For example the engines were modified to offer an additional 50 bhp, while the suspension modifications provide for more consistent suspension angles and greater stability. The anti-roll bars are also now adjustable, allowing the driver to customize the car to their body. Cooling is also now more efficient for increased endurance and the wiring now offers a quicker and simpler way to trouble-shoot problems.
Results During the Speed Weekend
In 2010 Faisal Raffii took home those honours in his debut performance at this championship. In fact, he won the pole position with a lap time of 1 minute 15.381 seconds. Not fairing as well, his teammate Mustafa Al Khan qualifying only sixth. The other top spot went to Raed Raffi with the third beloning to Tarek Elgammel who actually had the fastest lap time.
Desert 400
Of course, supercars in Bahrain cannot be mentioned without mentioning the Desert 400. Since 2006, this has been one of the marquee events of the Australian Supercar Circuit, with Bahrain having the honour of being the first country in the Middle East to host the Supercar Series. For fans in Bahrain, the Desert 400 is one of the most popular motorsport events next to the annual Formula 1 race.
If there is one thing the people of Bahrain love, it is the V8 supercar races. These races, including the WGA Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship and the Desert 400, provide plenty of excitement.