THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 12 Armstrong fastest on final day of F2 tests Dams driver’s best lap in morning session is enough to top combined timesheet, as Ralph Boschung goes quickest in afternoon • All of the day’s top Bahrain to host major global karting event overall times were TDT | Manama posted in the first three- hour session, with the ahrain International Cir- leading 17 cars all within Bcuit (BIC) will be staging one of the biggest annual kart- a second of one another ing events in the world later this year, after Bahrain was Ralph Boschung announced as the host nation leads• teammate of the Rotax MAX Challenge Gianluca Petecof for a (RMC) Grand Finals 2021 in De- cember. Campos Racing one- This event was scheduled to two in the second of take place in Bahrain in 2020, yesterday’s sessions but was postponed due to pre- vailing global travel restric- TDT | Manama tions. Marcus Armstrong races ahead of Guilherme Samaia during testing yesterday The best 2021 RMC drivers worldwide will compete for the BIKC…set for another major global event arcus Armstrong was times were posted in the first Rotax MAX Challenge Grand is helping to grow young driv- situation worldwide very close- the leading man on the three-hour session, with the Finals title at the Bahrain Inter- ing talents and this event will ly to be able to react in time Mthird and final day of leading 17 cars all within a sec- national Karting Circuit (BIKC) further highlight our commit- to ensure the execution of the Formula 2 pre-season testing ond of one another. from December 3 to December ment to enhancing the sport in RMCGF 2021.” yesterday at Bahrain Interna- Liam Lawson of Hitech Grand 11. It is expected to host almost the region.” BIKC was designed to the tional Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir. Prix was second-quickest with a 400 of the best karting drivers BRP-Rotax GM and Man - highest international standards The Dams driver registered a KNOW WHAT best lap of 1:42.218, while team- in the world, from almost 60 agement Board member Peter and is capable of hosting world fastest lap of one minute 42.173 mate Juri Vips finished third countries. Ölsinger added: “We are hap- championship races under the seconds during the morning with a 1:42.224 lap. BIC chief executive Shaikh py to welcome the best Rotax CIK-FIA. The Circuit made mo- session, and his time held up Marcus Armstrong Guanyu Zhou (1:42.234) of Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa said: drivers of the world to Bahrain torsport history in 2012 when until after six total hours of run- registered a fastest Uni-Virtuosi was fourth, Lirim “The Rotax MAX Challenge and to this prestigious track, it became the first karting track ning to finish atop the combined Zendeli (1:42.356) of MP Motor- Grand Finals are one of the which is well-known across anywhere across the globe to timesheet. lap of one minute sport fifth, Robert Shwartzman biggest karting events on the the globe, located right next to host a world championship-lev- With yesterday’s conclusion 42.173 seconds during (1:42.359) of Prema Racing sixth global stage and we are hon- the famous F1 race track. We el event at night thanks to the of the three-day F2 test, “The yesterday’s morning and Ralph Boschung (1:42.427) ored to be hosting this prestig- already started the organisation high-specification floodlight Home of Motorsport in the Mid- test session, and his of Campos Racing was seventh. ious meeting. The event will of our annual karting highlight. system. The challenging track dle East” now gears up for For- time held up until Richard Verschoor (1:42.522) in bring in hundreds of karting “The event will be execut- is 1.414km long and features mula 1 pre-season testing, set to after six total hours of the second MP car rounded out fans into the Kingdom to enjoy ed following a strict Covid-19 14 turns which will give the be held from Friday to Sunday. running the top eight. our challenging track in this measurement plan to ensure opportunity to see thrilling ac- For both F1 and F2, the Bah- Fastest in the afternoon ses- exciting and extraordinary sur- the health and well-being of all tion on the track when the best rain tests are their first chance to sion were Campos teammates rounding. We are proud that participants. Furthermore, we Rotax drivers will fight for the get an indication of how compet- held without spectators, as the Boschung (1:44.905) and Gi - our world-class karting facility are monitoring the Covid-19 podium in 2021. itive their latest cars are ahead circuit prepares for fans for the anluca Petecof (1:45.537). Roy of their first races of the season, main event at the end of this Nissany (1:46.104) was classified Prix were fourth through eighth, World Championship. across stands for the three-day which will be at the F1 Gulf Air month. third. respectively. Tickets are now available for event. Bahrain Grand Prix weekend In yesterday’s F2 tests, Arm- Shwartzman (1:47.146), Ze- Following this weekend’s F1 this year’s race weekend for all For full eligibility criteria for from March 26 to 28. strong had a best time in the ndeli (1:47.305), Oscar Piastri tests, the stage will be set for vaccinated or COVID-19 recov- those wishing to attend the race, All the testing is taking place morning and was 10th in the (1:47.326) of Prema Racing, Law- the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand ered individuals. The tickets are or for other information on the along BIC’s 5.412-kilometre afternoon run. son (1:47.409) and Theo Pour- Prix, the highly anticipated first on sale at bahraingp.com with a highly anticipated event, visit Grand Prix track, and it is being All of the day’s top overall chaire (1:47.426) of ART Grand round of the 2021 FIA Formula 1 single discounted price of BD100 bahraingp.com. Wijnaldum says only Champions Ahli win thriller over Muharraq to advance to Cup semis League glory can er Abdulla Malabes 11. save Liverpool’s Maitham Jameel BETTER Meanwhile, in Najma’s win, season • they poured in 39 points in the scores Ahli’s final second quarter alone to turn a AFP | London nine points in narrow KNOW 27-31 deficit at the end of the victory, as Muharraq’s first to a 66-54 lead at the half. eorginio Wijnaldum Mohammed Kuwayed They continued their rampant Gsays Liverpool can only pace in the final 20 minutes of save their season by win- misses potential Four players regis- action and led by as many as 34 ning the Champions League tying free-throws tered more than 20 points en route to closing out following the collapse of points for Najma in the big win. their Premier League title Al Najma sizzle for yesterday’s other Ali Jaffar had a fine perfor- defence. 140• points in big win mancing, top scoring for the Jurgen Klopp’s men, who game, which they won victors with 30 points, which face RB Leipzig in the sec- over Al Ettihad to march 140-115 in a high-scor- included six three-pointers. He ond leg of their last 16 tie on through to quarter-finals ing affair against Al also dished out 12 assists and Wednesday, are favourites Ettihad had six rebounds and three to progress after winning TDT | Manama steals. the first leg 2-0. American import Chris John- Big man CJ Giles had just as Al Ahli’s Maitham Jameel drives to the basket as he is tightly guarded by But there are major ques- aitham Jameel scored Al Muharraq’s Bader Abdulla Malabes son, but Ahli’s game-changing big an impact. He finished with tions over their confidence MAhli’s final nine points last reply included back-to-back tri- 26 points, 23 rebounds, five as- following a run of six suc- night in their hard-fought 81-79 on the game clock which could In Ahli’s nail-biting victory, ples from Hesham Sarhan and sists and four blocks in an all- cessive home defeats in the victory over bitter rivals Muhar- have tied the proceedings. both teams were neck and neck Jameel, which was the go-ahead around effort. Captain Fada- Premier League. raq, to advance to the semi-finals Following the result, Ahli as they headed towards the basket. lallah Abbas added 21 to go with Klopp’s side, top of the of the 2021 Khalifa bin Salman move on to the final four where game’s final minutes. Jameel finished with 18 points eight assists, while Abdulla Mo- table at Christmas, have Cup. they will take on the winner of Back-to-back Kuwayed tri- while playing all 40 minutes in hammed had 20 off the bench. slipped to eighth and look Jameel buried a three-point- the quarter-final match-up be- ples broke a 61-all deadlock with the game. Professional James For Ettihad, Sayed Hadi Mo- unlikely to finish in the top er with just over two minutes tween Al Najma and Sitra. seven minutes to go and that Mays paced the victors with hammed scored 32 points, all four. remaining to make it 75-74 and Four players registered more appeared to be the much-need- 29 while also taking down 15 but two of which came from Wednesday’s Champions give the tournament’s defending than 20 points for Najma in yes- ed decisive spark for Muhar- rebounds.