June 2016 www.womanthismonth.com 38 FEATURE | motoring Whether you’re a racing enthusiast or not, there’s something about the roar of the engines and squeal of tyres on hot Tarmac, and there can scarcely be anyone on this little island who hasn’t visited Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) at least once. Known worldwide as 'The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East', the BIC has hosted the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix since it opened in 2004 . In 2007 the venue became the first Grand Prix circuit to be awarded the distinguished FIA Institute Centre of Excellence award, given for excellent safety, race marshal and medical facilities, and for the high standards of technology required to maintain these. Generally one of the first races of the Grand Prix season, Bahrain’s big racing weekend draws massive international crowds and runs over three days with practices and qualifying rounds that the public can access at a fraction of the cost of the race itself. But, once the final chequered flag has fallen on F1 and the fleet of private aircraft have whisked the international jet set off to the next glamorous destination, the BIC gets on with the business of being a year-round destination for motorsports enthusiasts. The calendar includes Bahrain Drag Racing There’s more to Bahrain International Circuit than Formula One. Liz O’Reilly went along to find out what happens during the rest of the year and caught up with two of the women who form part of the world’s largest team of female race marshals. Women on Wheels Championship, the biggest drag racing series in the Gulf, which is backed up by regular drag and drift nights at which non-racers can put their own skills to the test. There’s also the BIC 2,000cc Challenge, the Kingdom’s own local racing championship, and the Bahrain Superbike Championship, the newest addition to the calendar. And, towards the end of the year, there’s the FIA WEC Six Hours of Bahrain, an eclectic endurance race, attracting some of the biggest names in the motor racing business, which takes its inspiration from the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. The track itself, in terms of future race development and everyday operation, is run by a management team headed by chief executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa but the actual races are run by a team of highly competent and dedicated marshals. In total 1,250 marshals operate at the circuit, of which 25-30 per cent are women, thought to be the world’s highest percentage
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