Manama: Winfield Racing School, in collaboration with Bahrain International Circuit, has announced recently the establishment of “The Winfield Racing School Middle East.” The school’s primary objective is to identify, nurture, and assess young motorsport talents from the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions.
Winfield Racing School, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024, is renowned in Europe for its role in training and selecting promising young racing drivers. The school boasts of producing 30 Formula One drivers, including 10 Grand Prix winners and two World Champions: Damon Hill and Alain Prost. The school was relaunched in 2024 and has been instrumental in shaping the early careers of the upcoming generation of racing talent.
Bahrain International Circuit, marking the 20th anniversary of the Bahrain Grand Prix, has played a significant role in fostering a motorsport culture in the region. In partnership with Winfield Racing School, it aims to further promote access to driving and motorsport professions.
Backed by the Bahraini authorities, Winfield Racing School and Bahrain International Circuit plan to establish a global education program through a training centre at the Sakhir Circuit. The project also includes offering Formula 4 single-seater driving experience days, with the goal of promoting motorsport culture and enhancing understanding of the sport in the Middle East.
The mission of Winfield Racing School and Bahrain International Circuit is to equip the next generation with the necessary skills to excel in their careers, whether in mechanics, engineering, marketing, or communications. The goal is to support the professional aspirations of talents in the Middle East and assist them in achieving their dreams.
Frédéric Garcia, President of Winfield Group said: ‘’Discovering, training and evaluating potential young talented drivers will be our primary mission at the Bahrain International Circuit; but we will also develop the events side of the business. For me, the two go hand-in-hand. In addition, with Bahrain International Circuit, which is the home of motorsport in the Middle East, we share the same desire to have a real educational project to extend our training programs across all motorsport professions. A kick-off driving event will be organised in April before training begins in October. Our wish is ultimately to find local partners to finance a selection program based on the model that allowed Winfield to build its reputation by supporting a large number of champions in taking their first steps in competitive motorsport. These names include the likes of the great Alain Prost. We know that we will have to be patient to nurture future professional drivers, but we have the ambition, the credibility and the know-how to do so.’’
Sherif Al Mahdy, Chief Commercial Officer, of Bahrain International Circuit expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership and the shared vision to expand training programs across all motorsport professions.
‘‘A partnership such as the one we are developing with Winfield Racing School is a natural progression for Bahrain International Circuit, given the work we do to support the next generation of drivers. We are especially excited about sharing this passion that unites us and this vision that we have in common with Winfield. At Bahrain International Circuit, we have incredible facilities capable of accommodating a wide variety of motorsport disciplines. With the support of Winfield, who will bring its incredible track record as a centre of excellence, we will support the progression of young drivers through the ranks of the sport. We are also encouraged that our shared vision does not stop at driving alone and will include the training of talented mechanics. We look forward to working with Winfield to develop the next generation of motorsport talent in the region,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Munther Almudawi, Executive Director of Business Development for Tourism at Bahrain Economic Development Board also expressed his excitement about the inauguration of Winfield Racing School in Bahrain, stating that it reinforces Bahrain’s status as a premier destination in the global motorsports arena.
“We are thrilled to witness the opening of Winfield Racing School in Bahrain, a groundbreaking initiative that is setting the course for an exciting new era of racing excellence and motorsport expertise in the Middle East. In an island where the speed of innovation synchronises with the thrill of speed, this academy goes beyond a driving institution, bringing to life the unrealised dreams of the next generation of young, driven, talented professionals, further solidifying Bahrain’s position as a leading destination in the global motorsports arena,” he said.
