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One of the leading figures in Bahrain motorsport has been honoured by the kingdom’s primary investment company as part of a series of awards highlighting prominent pioneers.
Fayez Ramzy Fayez, director of circuit operations at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), has been chosen as a recent recipient of Mumtalakat’s Many Stories, One Bahrain annual initiative.
Fayez has been with the BIC for nine years, and was the first Arab to hold an F1 Super License, one of less than 20 people in the world to hold one. He is also a certified FIA Circuit Inspector.
Fayez said: “It is a true honour to be recognised. I have huge admiration for those that have received this award in the past. I do believe, however, that in the spirit of One Bahrain I must offer a huge thanks to the whole team at the Bahrain International Circuit, as our achievements are a real effort from everyone here.
“Our motto here at the BIC is ‘Pride, Passion and Performance’. This award recognises the team’s delivery of that and our continued strive for excellence.
“I think it is a very important initiative to recognise those in the kingdom who work so hard to contribute to our success, building on our unique culture in the region. There are so many individuals who I believe are deserving of such an accolade, so it is a true honour to be recognised in this way. I’m sure that the initiative will continue to recognise local talent in this special way for many years to come.”
During Fayez’ tenure working with chief executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa and the senior management team, the BIC has continued to grow and expand its influence in the region. As well as the success of Formula One, which continues to see an increase in attendance year-on-year, the circuit hosts more than 400 events annually.
At the end of last year, the circuit staged its popular GT festival and F1 superstar Fernando Alonso and NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson took part in a car swap event, as highlighted in GulfWeekly, which was broadcast worldwide.
According to Fayez, the BIC has contributed substantially to Bahrain’s development as a sporting and entertainment hub in the region. He explained: “We have been able to create this wonderful arena of motorsport in the Middle East, which has become recognised around the world as a centre of excellence. Indeed, that has enabled the team at the BIC to help other race organisers around the world to establish their own events.
“It’s a talent we are exporting around the world. In addition to hosting our own F1 race, we regularly host car launches which brings major international media attention. We also host our very own regional and local racing championships, which helps grow local talent.”
Fayez’ super license was awarded after attaining a high standard as a race operations director thanks to his work at the BIC. It allows him to be a clerk of the course at F1 races and he is an official FIA gold track inspector.
One aspect that he is particularly proud of is marshal training, something which Bahrain is globally renowned for. The BIC’s staff provided their expertise for the first Abu Dhabi race in 2009, then India in 2011, and now the Baku Grand Prix in Azerbaijan, which is still supported by Bahraini marshals.
The BIC also offered their support for the season-opening Formula E race in Saudi Arabia, which took place last month.
As for the future, Fayez believes that there is still plenty of work to be done, and both he and the BIC will refuse to rest on their laurels.
“For us, the calendar is almost non-stop,” he said. “Coming up, we have several regional races, drag championships, private car events and testing events. Then we will be moments away from F1, where the team works tirelessly for many months to put on the great spectacle.
“We are proud to be able to help our partners in global motorsport and hope to be able to continue to do that long into the future.”
For National Day in 2017, Mumtalakat launched a campaign under the theme of Many Stories, One Bahrain, to recognise the efforts and contributions of outstanding individuals at in its portfolio companies. A spokesperson for the sovereign wealth fund, which employs 14,000 people and part-owns the McLaren F1 team, said: “We would like to congratulate Fayez on receiving this award, along with all other recipients.
“Through their relentless pursuit of excellence, these outstanding employees help realise their respective company’s growth objectives, working to develop a prosperous nation. Exceptional individuals were nominated for their personal or professional contributions, creativity and innovation, academic development, knowledge transfer and mentoring, effective leadership skills and teamwork efforts.”
