Sepang A Showcase Of Bahrain's Prowess At Staging World-Class Events

SEPANG, Oct 2 (NNN) -- The Sepang International Circuit (SIC) has become a showcase of Bahrain's prowess at staging world-class sporting events, as evident in the preparations for the hosting of the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia which took less than 10 weeks to be completed.

Advisor for Media Affairs at the Court of the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Isa Al Hammadi, said the short period saw various parties in Bahrain and Malaysia working hand-in-hand in the preparation, management, execution, and branding of the Bahrain GP in Malaysia.

He said the staging of the race in Malaysia had been a formidable challenge, but working in close cooperation has enabled the task to be expedited.

“The staging of the race in Malaysia was a formidable challenge and the Bahraini delegation pulled it off with amazing results in terms of management, preparation, planning, execution, and track branding in less than 10 weeks,” he said in an interview with Bahraini Arabic-language newspaper, Al-Ayam.

According to Al Hammadi, the success had also been made possible by the involvement of Bahraini personnel and experts in various fields, including marshals, circuit management and operations personnel, and tourism and telecommunication outfits.

He said the involvement of more than 500 Bahrainis in Sepang working in concert with their Malaysian partners demonstrated the cooperation between the two countries in staging the event.

“Everyone worked as a team – Team Bahrain,” he said.

Al Hammadi said the presence of more than 100,000 spectators at the SIC, along with the involvement of the Bahraini personnel, also became an important aspect of the organisation of Bahrain GP in Malaysia.

He said the creation of Bahrain Village at the event venue provided an opportunity for spectators to get acquainted with Bahraini culture by way of the various activities and experiences in store.

On international promotion, Al Hammadi said the staging of Bahrain GP in Malaysia has also opened a door for Bahrain to introduce the country's identity to the global stage, with the side reach of F1.

He said a growing interest in F1 among the new generation, including as a result of documentary content about the sport on streaming platforms, has opened up a bigger opportunity for Bahrain to raise its profile internationally.

“If we say Bahrain is in Malaysia today, naturally the world's attention also turns towards Bahrain although we are in Malaysia,” he said.

Bahrain GP in Malaysia takes place from Oct 2 to 4 after the original race in Bahrain in April could not take place due to the geopolitical situation in West Asia.

The move followed an agreement in July involving F1, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), and the governments of Malaysia and Bahrain.

--NNN