Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive at BIC, told the Press conference on Sunday that Bahrain’s race has been part of the FIA schedule for Grand Prix Calendar of 2012 since the very start. “We have been working hard to make sure that everything goes right during the Grand Prix at the BIC,” Shaikh Salman said.
Explaining the financial impact, Shaikh Salman said that this year’s Grand Prix would be a great success as the Grand Prix 2010 generated half a billion dollars.
Shaikh Salman, who was joined by Gulf Air’s CEO Samer Majali to announce the upcoming 2012 Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, announced the start of the 60-day countdown.
It is scheduled to take place between April 20 and 22 as the fourth round of a record-breaking 20-race calendar that makes up this year’s FIA Formula One World Championship.
BIC Chief Executive and Gulf Air CEO revealed this year’s slogan for the race ‘UNIF1ED – ONE NATION IN CELEBRATION’, which reflects the unifying spirit of true F1 fans, who share a passion for the sport and who long to see the very best of motor racing take place in the Kingdom.
“Sport brings people together, especially the truest and most dedicated of fans. Be it in football, tennis, golf or motor racing, there is something special about sport that makes it a great unifier,” Shaikh Salman, said.
“We in Bahrain should feel extremely privileged to be part of an exclusive club of only a handful of countries who can say that they are a host of a Grand Prix and are a part of the FIA Formula One World Championship. Our race is a source of pride!
“Based on the success of past Grand Prix, we are all together looking forward to staging yet another spectacular Formula One weekend. We are excited about making Bahrain proud and for the whole world to see that we are indeed One Nation in Celebration.”
“As Bahrain’s national carrier, we are looking forward to welcoming the return of the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix,” Samer Majali, said.
“We have already seen an increase in bookings for these three days as excitement builds. Gulf Air has been the title sponsor of the Bahrain Grand Prix since it made history in April 2004 as the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East.”
Shaikh Salman also revealed that a 15% on all tickets to the race weekend is being offered over the next two weeks. With this special deal in place, all race fans are advised to scoop up their tickets as soon as possible in order to avoid disappointment and get added value for money.
Just as it had been in years past, the 2012 Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix will boast a line-up of three of the very best international support series that will complement all the Formula One action.
These supporting categories are headlined by the GP2 Series and Porsche Mobil1 Supercup. Also set to feature is the most popular circuit racing category to come out of the region, the WGA Supercars Championship Middle East.
In preparation for the Bahrain Grand Prix, Bahrain International Circuit has lined up a series of nation-wide public events to help raise awareness for the race weekend and to get people buzzing with Formula One fever.
Among other community events lined up are a ‘Build an F1 Car’ activity for schools and universities, the creation of different F1 related sculptures all across Bahrain, an art exhibition, and many others.