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Safety is a key factor when it comes to the world of motor sports ... and the marshals of Bahrain make sure of it.
The Motorsport Marshals Club (MMC) - officially developed under the guidance of the Bahrain Motor Federation and regulations of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in 2004 - is a non-profit organisation set up to train and provide officials for all motor sport events organised in the kingdom.
Fayez Ramzy Fayez, president of the MMC, said: "There are more than 15 types of marshals, from clerks of the course to flag marshals. They are all volunteers and feel that this is their civic duty.
"They are put through an extensive training programme under the guidance of the FIA and we have recruitment campaigns throughout the year.
"As for the recruitment, it usually works by word of mouth or we may put out flyers. Sometimes older marshals will bring others in and then we conduct training courses for them. We have speciality training and advanced training. The ministries that are also involved in sporting events also conduct trainings for their paramedics, medical staff and doctors on hand."
A marshal's responsibility is to ensure that all motor sports are conducted in a manner that secures and enhances the safety of all those involved, including participants, officials, spectators and the public.
Martin Whitaker, chief executive officer of the Bahrain International Circuit, said: "I think the great thing about our marshals is that they are completely dedicated and a great young team of enthusiastic guys who've really transformed the way people look at motor racing in this part of the world.
"The wonderful thing is that they are now recognised worldwide for their abilities and I hope that we see other circuits from around the world starting to use them for major events or even local and regional events."
Fayez said: "Made up of both genders, 95 per cent of the marshals are from Bahrain but we also have expats involved alongside visiting marshals that work with us during Bahrain's F1 from all parts of the world including Australia and England. They are extremely dedicated sport fans and we welcome them.
"In terms of accidents, we have faced many but that is part of our job - it is what we are here for. Thankfully, we haven't faced any fatalities or serious injuries but the idea is not whether you have accidents, it's how you manage them.
"So far we have been able to manage most situations on the track with great results and have been receiving rave reviews from the international sporting body for the past five years and hopefully it will continue.
"In 2004, Bahrain was awarded for being the most organised Formula One event around the world and we have been improving year after year. However, this is not a job you do to be awarded - it is to make sure everyone is safe. That is what's important."
Sara Hussain, 20, a communicator on the track and a student at the University of Bahrain, from Sanad, said: "A communicator is also known as an 'observer'. We are the eyes and ears of the clerk of the course.
"Basically, what we do is observe all the happenings on the track before, during and after any session and report it through the radio or 'comm' as we call it, using a specific protocol to the race control.
"We should also make sure we have a clear and safe track for the cars to race on. We have a system that we follow whenever we have a message to report, for example, if there's an incident at a particular point, or if a car has stopped during the race.
"We communicate from different points to the tower manned by senior officials who watch the race and make sure everything's moving along smoothly.
"It's a job that requires excellent observational skills. One should be alert at all times, because anything can happen at any second.
"I love cars and I love speed. Being a marshal gets you so close to all the action and you actually get to know every single detail about every single driver and how he handles his way through the race.
"Besides the racing part, you get to be a part of an awesome group of people who share the same interests and stand by your side all day experiencing what you go through.
"There isn't much of a difference being a female marshal, even though a lot of people who don't know much about it think that it's simply a guy's job. Its so not! What we don't do is lift heavy objects but then again the men will not let us anyway which I find is a nice thing and is less work for the girls.
"Guys and girls are pretty much treated equally. I've never been in a situation where I wasn't able to do a thing because of my gender."
Fellow communicator, Ali Haji, 19, from Saar, said: "I have been a marshal since 2006 and the reason why I wanted to be an official was to invest my time into something valuable. I feel like I am part of a family and can't stop being a marshal even if I wanted to because I feel like I am a part of something big.
"I have had the chance to work in every position at the MMC as a flaggy (a marshal carrying the flags), tracky (trackside marshal) and communicator (fixed point observer). I would urge others in the kingdom to become marshals. It's a great job and an amazing experience."
