We launched a very unique event in Bahrain today: Race for Bahrain which is the culmination of immense effort by a lot of people from two leading companies in Bahrain: Bapco and the BIC along with a number of individuals and other local companies.
The Race for Bahrain event will screen 25,000 applicants to select 300 who will get further testing in one of the 10 Caterham G7s purchased by the BIC and sponsored by Bapco to whittle that number down to just 3 lucky people who will have all their expenses paid, and Caterhams made available to them for one year to help them understand and participate in the art of motorsports.
All the Caterhams are specified, imported as kits, built completely in Bahrain and then maintained to race conditions by MotorSportME, a company I am fully involved in as the Business Development Director. MotorSportME is the Middle East agent for Caterhams.
We’ve already sold 12 cars and hope that we can increase that number to 25 by the time September comes by so that we can have a nice, busy grid for the first race in a forthcoming series: The Caterham Challenge which will probably consist of 10 to 12 races, and even have the capability of being a support fixture to one of the international events in Bahrain like the GT or F3 or even the F1 races in 2006.
The ultimate result of the Race for Bahrain of course is to find drivers with level heads and enough competitiveness and determination to be sponsored by various companies for a number of years, and hope also that one of these people will end up in an F1 car racing for Bahrain. It’s not too far fetched… others have gone through this route as well.
The selection is open to Bahraini men and women.. I do hope that enough women will apply and even win a place. Why not? We’ve had a woman – a Bahraini Christian no less – chair the Shura Council yesterday. A first not only for Bahrain, but for the whole Arab and Muslim world!
Comments
Do you have what it takes?
Great news, just what Bahrain needs, to capitalize on what it already has achieved from the BIC. There is a lot of potential comin out from this circuit or let me say institution to better serve the purposes that it seems to be takin care of.
Am wonderin though Mahmood, where exactly do they manufacture those cars in Bahrain, is it somewhere near the BIC? If so that’s great as also the German sports car manufacturer wants to build a plant there to produce cars, and they can also add an automobile manufacturing zone next to the BIC in the future.
And about Alice Samaan, it’s great to know that Bahrain is leading the Arab and Islamic world in providing an example that needs to be followed, along with the opening of the Constitutional Court, which is a big leap in the right direction. Add to that, two women ministers. These things just make you pround to be Bahraini :).
Re: Do you have what it takes?
We’ve got space at the BIC at the moment to build them. We’ve got pit 31 on the main F1 circuit (I think Sauber took that one during the F1). The first 5 are being built there now, with another 5 to be cleared out of customs in the next few days.
Once the “Business/Industrial Park” completes around the BIC which should start work imminently, we’ll move our facility there.
Here’s what our pit look like, with a just unpacked chassis at the front:
Do you have what it takes?
Mahmood,
WOW Do you have more info about this, like a deadline, when trials well be held, how to apply if its not too late etc etc…. looooking forward to this!
[Modified by: Yousifooo (yousifooo) on April 20, 2005 11:46 PM]
Do you have what it takes?
I was delighted to read about your endeavour. I own a much older seven here in the UK and the car is a great source of pleasure to me. I really look forward to reading more about how the Race for Bahrain progresses and to one day hearing of your wider success. Whenever I read about enthusiastic car owners it always reminds me to enjoy the car I own.
All the best for the future,
Duncan Kennedy
[url=http://www.iamnotanumber.org.uk]I am not a number Caterham blog[/url]
Re: Do you have what it takes?
I’m afraid you’re too old for this one… but as you’re are a Caterhamanian (?), it wouldn’t do for you NOT to be without one of their cars. So come on, dig deep and gimme some dosh and I’ll set you up nicely with one of the yellow birds. 😀
Re: Do you have what it takes?
Yousif the closing date is May 1st, and you can pick up a form from any of the Bapco stations. If not, then download it from http://motorsportme.com
Believe me it’s well worth the effort.
Do you have what it takes?
Well I don’t know much about cars at all, but I was born in Caterham, and lived there for more than 30 years before coming to Bahrain! Does that count for anything at all?!