24h Le Mans
The Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain, fifth round of the 2021 FIA WEC season, is set for this upcoming weekend. The Middle Eastern circuit will host the last two rounds of the year, so here is everything you need to know about the track in the desert.
The Bahrain International Circuit figured on the FIA WEC calendar the championship's first year, 2012. Today, it remains one of the best equipped in the world and is an ideal location for endurance racing in the Middle East.
The first 8 Hours of Bahrain was the sixth of eight rounds on the 2012 FIA WEC programme. The race was won by the #1 Audi R18 e-tron Quattro driven by Benoit Tréluyer, Marcel Fässler and André Lotterer ahead of the sister car entrusted to Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen. Strakka Racing's #21 HPD ARX 03a-Honda rounded out the overall podium.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing holds the record for most wins with five.
The majestic circuit is located in the middle of the desert along a highway lined with palm trees. The spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is always in full swing at Bahrain thanks to the participation of marques such as Toyota, Porsche, Ferrari and Aston Martin.
FIA WEC drivers seem to enjoy hitting the track at Bahrain. Sébastien Buemi, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing driver in the #8 Toyota GR010, part of whose family lives in Bahrain, shares the key to a fast lap at this circuit: "I think it's the ability to brake hard and late. If you look at the circuit, there is a lot of braking in the straights. It is a bit of a stop-and-go circuit, so you have to have a car with good braking, that is really important. That's when you can really get a good lap time." James Calado, AF Corse driver in the #51 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo: "Key to a fast lap is definitely being able to nail the middle sector, there’s a fine line between braking too late and too early, but getting it right ultimately adds up to a lot of lap time."
The track is one of the most challenging of the season in terms of brakes and wear. With four long straights, the engines are also put to the test. The high atmospheric pressure and low humidity are real constraints, and on the transmission side, this circuit requires the use of first gear and many gear changes.
The Bahrain circuit will serve as the host for unprecedented back-to-back race weekends closing out the 2021 FIA WEC season. The Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain is scheduled for Saturday 30 October and the final round, the Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain, will be held the following weekend on Saturday 6 November. Everything remains up for grabs at Bahrain as a total of 63 points will be awarded across the two weekends (25 for the fifth round and 38 for the finale). One additional point will also be given to the pole-sitter team at both races. The Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain will take place during the day with a sunset finish and the Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain will be held during the day with a nighttime finish. Teams will need to manage track temperature variations and drivers will pay special attention to lighting changes.
Click for the Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain entry list.
