Thrills Return as Bahrain International Circuit Launches National Race Day Season with BTCC and Time Attack

Title: Thrills Under the Floodlights: Bahrain International Circuit Launches National Race Day Season The engines roar back to life this weekend as the **Bahrain International Circuit (BIC)**—dubbed the **”Home of Motorsport in the Middle East”**—ushers in the first round of the 2025/2026 National Race Day season on Friday, October 3. Motorsport fans are in for an action-packed evening as the circuit hosts an electrifying double-header featuring two of the kingdom’s most adrenaline-fueled competitions: the Bahrain Touring Car Challenge (BTCC) and the high-octane Time Attack series. This spectacular event will unfold along BIC’s 2.55-kilometre Inner Track, with activities organised by BIC and held in close coordination with the Bahrain Motor Federation, Circuit Racing Commission, and Auto X and Drift Commission. The full day of racing promises to test the skills of drivers under evolving conditions, beginning in the sunlit afternoon at 3:20 pm, and transitioning into the cooler, more demanding night segment under BIC’s state-of-the-art floodlights—with events continuing past 10:30 pm. Motorsport fans of all ages are invited to witness the action live from the Beyon Grandstand, which offers prime viewing of crucial track sections, including the Inner Straight—home to the start and finish lines. Tickets are attractively priced at BD2 for adults and BD1 for children, and can be purchased in advance via bahraingp.com, by contacting the BIC Hotline at +973-17450000, or at the venue gates. Returning with full throttle this year is the BTCC, one of the region’s most enduring championships. Previously known as the BIC 2,000cc Challenge, the series reaffirms its esteemed legacy in modern format. Defending champion Isa Ebrahim is back to stake his claim behind the wheel of his Honda Civic, joined by a formidable grid including Moazz Elzahrawi, Ahmed Algaidy, Ahmed Bajnaid, Ali Almansoori, Hamad Khamis, Andreas Buelow, and Rakan Al Fayez—all driving Honda Civics as well. Diversifying the grid are Jamal Ebrahim in a Nissan Skyline, James Taylor in an Acura RSX DC5, and Carina Abdulrahman piloting a Volkswagen Scirocco. The BTCC schedule begins with practice at 4:35 pm, followed by qualifying at 6 pm. The grid goes full throttle with Race 1 at 7:40 pm, and the heated competition concludes with Race 2 at 10 pm. Meanwhile, Time Attack participants will fight the stopwatch in a test of pure speed and precision. Races are split across six divisions—SU, UL, MA, SA, MB, and SB—with start-to-finish lap times determining the final rankings. Activity starts at 3:20 pm with practice rounds, progressing to Heat One for SU, UL, and MA classes at 5:10 pm, and SA, MB, and SB heats at 6:35 pm. The second heat for all categories will be held at 8:15 pm. The evening culminates with trophy podiums for both BTCC and Time Attack at 10:45 pm, celebrating the day’s top performers. This thrilling curtain-raiser marks the start of a tightly packed seven-event season for National Race Day. Round two is scheduled for October 24, followed by round three on November 21. The action resumes in 2026 with round four on January 10, round five on February 6, round six on March 13, and finishes with the final round on April 24. To stay updated on National Race Day and other exhilarating events at the Bahrain International Circuit, visit bahraingp.com or contact the BIC Hotline. Team V.DIR-EM-UAE