‘We have taken the grand prix to the community with Yalla Bahrain’

Since its launch in March 2004, the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) has not only established itself as the best Formula One circuit on the world, but also as a premier venue for business tourism and corporate entertainment that is busy throughout the year, having hosted over 500 events in 2006 and already 200 in the first few months of this year.

In addition, the racing circuit has proved invaluable in promoting Bahrain to the rest of the world and boosting the economic fortunes of the kingdom, says general manager Martin Whitaker.
The BIC is all geared up for the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand prix 2007 and aims to further develop its corporate entertainment ventures as well as its business and technology park, where German sports car manufacturer RUF became the first company to start construction of a manufacturing and assembly plant, its first in the Middle East.
Whitaker said: “Recently the convention centre announced it would be staging the first Bahrain Motor Show — it all adds to the economy and the circuit really delivers in terms of economic impact.
“We have taken the grand prix to the community with Yalla Bahrain. I’ve had so many letters saying thank you for doing this for the people of Bahrain — they are very rewarding comments.
“Our ticket sales for this year are looking fantastic and I am very happy.”
This year has posed an interesting challenge because 2006 was such a successful year for the BIC.” Explained Whitaker: “We had a very, very successful Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Significantly, it was the first race in the season due to the fact that the Australians were hosting the Commonwealth Games and therefore we took over the premier slot.
“This had a big impact not only on the circuit but more importantly upon the kingdom because all of a sudden everyone was talking about where the first race was going to be held. The race generated not only a capacity crowd but was also watched on TV by over half a billion people across the world.”
He added: “It was also significant because it generated $390 million worth of economic impact for Bahrain, according to an independent survey conducted on our behalf. That underlines the importance of the grand prix and the circuit to the kingdom.”
n addition to the FIA Formula One event, the BIC hosted several other very successful regional and national events last year including the Bapco Caterham Challenge, the BMW Performance Drive Center’s Formula BMW Championship, Thunder Arabia, Mini Cooper Challenge, the Chevrolet Lumina CSV Championship, and the Race for Bahrain, a series of races to unearth young Bahrain talent.
The circuit has also been hosting drag racing in 10 different car and bike sections.
 And off the track, business is booming too. Whittaker said: “We’ve had a significant turnaround in fortunes as well as revenues, in terms of corporate activities like business tourism, client incentives, staff motivation trips, seminars, gala dinners, and product launches such as that for the S-Class Audi.”
Apart from playing host to tens of thousands of racing aficionados during its major races and significant numbers of people for its corporate business events, the BIC also attracts around 500 visitors every month, who come for what Whitaker calls the ‘open tour’, where they are taken around the BIC and shown its facilities. Also, around 200 people on average turn up at the gates each month, just to see what the circuit is all about.
Looking ahead at the upcoming Formula One race in a few days time, Whittaker relishes the challenge of matching the success of the 2006 event, which regaled the crowds with celebrity races and a plethora of family fun and entertainment.
“It’s a nice challenge to have. We are looking to improve upon the success of last year’s celebrity race as well as our entertainment, people enjoy being entertained,” he explained. “I think in many ways that’s been another of the successes of the 2006 year. People now associate the circuit with good, solid, professional entertainment. So they can come here not just to watch a motor race but also to be entertained. And they know that they can do it in the confines of the circuit, in a secure and professional manner, that they can come here as a family. So it’s fast becoming a venue for a family day out.
“Meanwhile, on the track we will host the opening round of the 2007 GP2 Championship, which is the final step to Formula One. So effectively, you have the two top single-seater championships in the world in the same place at the same time. We are looking forward to it immensely and I think it will be a very exciting race.”
Though the departure of Michael Schumacher marks the end of an era, Whitaker does not expect the Formula One calendar to be any less interesting.
“It’s definitely the end of an era but I think it will be just as interesting if not more so, because quite often when you lose a driver of that calibre, it reshuffles the pack,” he says. “Now there’s Kimi Raikkonen in Ferrari, Fernando Alonso in McLaren, Louis Hamilton in McLaren, a new face at Renault and other drivers coming up through the ranks. It’s a fresh championship and it’s going to be a great year.”
New Formula One rules designed to make the competition closer should further boost the sport, he believes.
“The V8 Supercar race was great because drivers were overtaking each other on every single lap,” said Whitaker. “If you can get that type of competition on the Formula One track, it’s got to be good news for everybody - for the team, the sponsors, the drivers and most importantly for the spectators.”
s the BIC enjoys its fourth year of operations, Whitaker expects business to further develop, with the circuit having firmly established itself as the place for motorsport in the Middle East.
“We attract a lot of visitors from across the GCC for the major events but of greater significance is the fact that companies such as Audi, Jaguar, and General Motors are increasingly looking to stage events at Bahrain International Circuit, rather than in venues like Dubai, which they traditionally might have used in the past,” he said. “By developing grassroots motor sport and also regional series in conjunction with the Bahrain Motor Federation (BMF) we are helping break down the barriers. The BMF also plays a key role in increasing the awareness, knowledge and perception of motor sport not just in Bahrain but throughout the Gulf.”
As he steers the circuit to further successes, Whitaker is understandably proud that BIC has emerged as probably the best Formula One racetrack in the world.
 “When I started nearly three years ago, we had a staff of just 20 odd people, it has now grown to nearly 100,” said Whitaker, who rates his work at the circuit as “hugely satisfying”.
“I want to ensure that in the future people look to the BIC here and say ‘that’s how we measure ourselves, that’s the best circuit in the world’.

Frankie Fernandez &
-RdS-