Verstappen ready P23 for desert dust-up SPORTS 2424 Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Esteban Ocon

Jolyon Palmer

Manama to arrive in Bahrain. The Porsche GT3 Cup number of Formula 1’s The stage is set for the third Challenge Middle East is based star drivers arrived in round of this year’s FIA Formula on the highly successful Porsche ABahrain yesterday ahead of this 1 World Championship, and formula for racing. Launched weekend’s 2017 Formula 1 Gulf BIC is getting all geared up in 2009, the championship is Air Bahrain Grand Prix. to once again be the centre of in its eighth season. It features Bahrain International Circuit global attention. the region’s leading drivers, all (BIC) hosts the sporting and This year’s Bahrain Grand competing in the powerful and entertainment spectacle from Prix will be the event’s 13th dynamic Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Friday to Sunday in Sakhir. edition and fourth as a night on the Middle East’s world- Among those seen arriving at race. class circuits. Bahrain International Airport Meanwhile, more than 50 The TCR International Series were Red Bull Racing star Max of the world’s most supremely will be holding the second of Verstappen, Mercedes ace talented race car drivers outside 10 rounds in its 2017 season Valtteri Bottas, ’s of Formula 1 will be lining up at Bahrain. The championship and ’s on the grid at BIC as part of this kicked off on April 1 and 2 Max Verstappen Jolyon Palmer. weekend’s support programme. at Rustavi International They were received upon They will be competing in Motorpark in Tbilisi, Georgia. reaching the island by BIC’s three different championships, Seven leading brands of Meet and Greet staff, who including the FIA Formula 2 car manufacturers are to be assisted them in their arrival Championship, the Porsche represented at in the series’ formalities and made sure they GT3 Cup Challenge Middle races in Bahrain – Audi, receive a warm welcome to the East and the TCR International , Honda, SEAT, country. Series. Alfa Romeo, Opel and Kia. Aside from the drivers, Newly rebranded as Formula Tickets to this year’s Grand Formula 1 personnel and other 2, or F2, after being known as Prix spectacle continue to be members of the international the GP2 Series since 2005, this available. Tickets cost BD150 for racing community continued single-seater championship is the Main Grandstand, BD120 widely accepted to be the chief for the Batelco Grandstand, feeder series to Formula 1. It BD100 for the Turn One will be holding the first round Grandstand, and BD60 apiece of its new 2017 season at the for the University Grandstands Bahrain Grand Prix. and Victory Grandstands. The F2 grid will include 20 All tickets are for all three Valtteri Bottas cars, representing 10 teams. days of the Formula 1 weekend. Verstappen, Bottas, Ocon and Palmer among first here

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