Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
CHILDREN attending some of Bahrain's leading schools are set to miss out once more on the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix ... because the big race day clashes again with the first day of term, reports Mai Al Khatib.
For a second year running, the date clash means parents are left with the unenviable choice of making the biggest event on the kingdom's sporting calendar a family affair or ensuring that the pupils are in class.
Bemused and baffled Martin Whitaker, chief executive officer at Bahrain International Circuit, was stunned because this year Formula One executives announced the race dates in record time.
He has made a passionate plea for school governing bodies to rally around the kingdom and show their support in the face of competition from Abu Dhabi.
'Next year Bahrain will no longer be the 'only' race in the Middle East as Abu Dhabi joins the growing list of new Grand Prix venues. For this reason - and for reasons of national pride - we should ensure that next year's race receives total support from the whole community to make sure that we continue to stand out as a successful venue and a sporting platform.
'Making the first day of the summer term on April 20, 2009 would be a start and would benefit both pupils and teachers alike - together with the rest of their families.'
Bahrain will still be the focal point of the sporting world on April 17-18-19, 2009 and this is a supreme opportunity to demonstrate that we have so much to offer, says race chief, Martin Whitaker.
The Bahrain International Circuit CEO believes the annual Formula One festivities can help the kingdom continue to grow and prosper.
He said: “The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix and the circuit are now catalysts for the awareness and development of so many Bahraini initiatives – business, leisure and residential. Look only at the increased interest in Bahrain Financial Harbour, World Trade Centre, Bahrain Bay – Amwaj, Durrat Al Bahrain, Riffa Views and new leisure initiatives such as the Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park and the Adhari Park.
“Races in other parts of the world are now identified by the national support that they get from business and the retail trade.
“Look at what the retailers in Kuala Lumpur do for the Malaysian Grand Prix. All over the city shop-keepers, restaurateurs, cinema owners, taxi drivers and the like are all wearing T-shirts, caps and displaying posters that promote the event.
“The race has become a national institution. The same can happen here in Bahrain and we started to see the first signs of this earlier this year.
“If we all get behind the race now then there will be no end of opportunities in which we can develop a national perspective on Grand Prix.
“The contract and length of our agreement with Formula One has now been extended until 2016. The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is now a long-term contract – one of the longest in the World Championship – and we should maximise the impact of such an opportunity.
“I have often said that our biggest problem at staging the Grand Prix in future years will be building bigger grandstands.
“If the community supports the Grand Prix, as I genuinely believe that it should and will, then I see no reason why we cannot increase the attendance at the race in 2009 and the years to come.
“Let’s not forget that we have something very, very unique in being able to stage an event such as the FIA Formula One World Championship Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.
“There are only 19 races in the whole world next year – we have one here right in our own backyard. Let’s make the most of it!”
Last year many organisations, in particular local schools, wanted BIC to help by getting the dates for the Grand Prix as early as possible in order to help them plan their diaries in 2009.
Traditionally the F1 calendar has always been announced late in the year – October in recent years – to get the provisional calendar less than three months after the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, Mr Whitaker thought, would be good news for everyone.
He added: “It appears that the majority of schools will be going back on the day of the race (Easter is much later this year) and as a result we will unfortunately have a clash of dates.
“I am hopeful that given the provisional dates are available to us so much earlier this year that organisations and schools will be supportive and allow as many of their employees, pupils and staff to attend.”
The anomaly is that the main race day for all Grand Prix events falls on a Sunday and is therefore a working or school day in the Middle East. However, the races are sold to a global television audience and it is unlikely an exception will be made for two races.
Both the British School of Bahrain and St Christopher’s School have informed parents that the first day of the summer term 2009 will be April 19 – the big race day.
Bill Frost, the principal of the British School, was unavailable for comment but Edward Goodwin, principal of St Christopher’s School, said: “We haven’t even had a chance to think about it and we haven’t even discussed it yet. It’s the very end of the school year so we haven’t come around to talking about it.”
Mr Whitaker, a father of three, will be writing to all the schools in the kingdom with a personal plea for race day support.
