Ringing in the F1 fever

The countdown to the Bahrain Grand Prix reached fever pitch at the weekend as the Yalla Bahrain! Finale descended on December 16 Highway in Isa Town.

Formula One cars, stunt bikes, classic vehicles, Hummers, drag racing cars and the national cavalry were on display at the event that attracted more than 10,000 people.
Plumes of smoke and the smell of burning rubber enveloped the cheering crowd as high-performance cars and bikes were paraded down the highway.
From the moment champion stunt bike rider, Kevin Carmichael, 39, pirouetted on one wheel, the thousands lining the road erupted in applause.
Speeding at over 130miles per hour, Mr Carmichael performed 20 minutes of daredevil feats and shredded two tyres. Hanging from various parts of his Triumph and completing a 300-meter wheelie while perpendicular to the ground was accompanied by roars of “Ahsant!”
He said: “I jumped off the plane straight onto the track. The crowd was excellent, they loved the noise!”
The bike display was followed by a showcase of some of the world’s finest racing machinery.
Ford and Holden V8 supercars, dragsters, BIC’s Caterham sports racing cars and Thunder Arabia single-seaters roared up the highway, creating a wall of noise that also delighted the fans.
One of the crowd’s favourites was an 89 Ford Mustang Convertible that sprayed jets of nitrous oxide from its bonnet.
Its owner, Saluh Salahuddin, 35, said: “This is a fantastic hobby, and it’s fun to see so many people and children gathering to show support for the F1.”
Throughout the parade, three paramotors circled overhead, their parachutes emblazoned with the Bahraini flag. Pilot Chris Sowerby of the Gulf Eagles Paramotoring & Paragliding display team said: “Flying in one of these is the best feeling in the world and it’s terrific for the crowds.”
Aimed at drumming up excitement for this week’s Grand Prix, the Formula 1 Street Carnival was a huge success.
Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain International Circuit, Martin Whitaker, was delighted by the day’s events.
Marking the end of the two-and-half month long Ithmaar Group Yalla Bahrain festival, the street carnival closed with a musical firework extravaganza that enchanted the tired, but elated crowds.
Aris Prasetya, 36, who attended with his wife, mother-in-law, seven-year-old and five-months-old sons, said: “My son loves racing, and the fireworks were wonderful. It’s been a fantastic day.”
The 2007 Ithmaar Group Yalla Bahrain! calendar was formed of six events, starting back in February with an autograph session in the Seef Mall starring Honda’s young Austrian talent Christian Klien, who met fans on February 23. The following day saw 36 teams line up at the Bahrain International Circuit to play in the ultimate five-a-side football fixture – F1 Football Fever – with over 3,500 people attending at the Formula One testing open day.
Next came the creation of 96 individual paintings from a cross-section of the community, guided by artist Abbas Al Mosawi, that formed an astonishing collage celebrating Bahrain and Formula One for the F1 in Colour event.
This masterpiece then became the centre of attention at the interactive F1 Zone, which brought fans inside the sport for eight days at the Al Aali Shopping Complex in Seef.
Then came the two live action extravaganzas, starting with the F1 Drift and Movie Night at the Bahrain International Circuit, where the GCC Premiere of Mr. Bean’s Holiday at a traditional Drive-In Cinema and a host of the region’s top Drift racers drew a crowd of more than 6,000.

-RdS-