Local Motorsport News
Sunday 23rd May 2010, Bahrain International Circuit: a press conference was held at the Home of Motorsport in the Middle East where the winner of the 2009-10 season of the Chevrolet Supercars ME Championship, Fahad Al Musalam, received his prize of a three day test session in Australia with Australia V8 Supercars team Paul Morris. Al Musalam won the series following a heated season which was full of on track action as the championship toured the Middle East, visiting several locations around the GCC. It was announced that Al Musalam will be giving his prize away to fellow competitor Raed Raffii in an effort to give yet another Bahraini driver exposure in the international limelight. Al Musalam was joined at the speaker’s table by Championship Organizer Sherif Al Mahdy and Bahraini racing prodigy Raed Raffii.
Sherif Al Mahdy, Championship Organizer of the Chevrolet Supercars ME Championship, stated; “I would like to express my deepest thanks to all members of the media who have been present throughout the season and supported the championship. Without your assistance the series would not be the regional success it is today. The prize for the winner of this year’s season will be a three day test session, taking place in Australia as part of the Australia V8 Supercars Championship. The first day of the test session will include 30 laps at Norwell in a level two Superschool car, allowing Raed the opportunity to adapt to the right hand drive. The second day will include a guest driver spot at an official test day, while the third day will be the actual test session at Queensland Raceway Circuit in a V8 Supercar with the renowned team Paul Morris. This year’s prize will be something very special and extraordinary as Martin Whitaker is now part of the Australia V8 Supercars Championship. The prize will provide international exposure for not only the winner, but will also highlight the motorsport potential which is growing at a tremendous rate in the Middle East through series such as the Chevrolet Supercars ME Championship
Title holder Al Musalam commented, “this is the second consecutive title I have won and received the prize for. Last year I was fortunate enough to travel to Australia and test with the Gary Rogers racing team, which was an invaluable experience and helped my development as a driver. I feel it is important to give other local drivers this opportunity too, and this is why I would like to give the test session to Raed Raffii. I am very happy to give him this opportunity and he will learn a lot from it. I would like to express my thanks to Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, Sherif Al Mahdy and all those who have shown their support for me throughout this season.
Raed Raffii stated, “I am very happy to receive this prize from Fahad. I am very proud to be able to represent the Kingdom of Bahrain in Australia and demonstrate the potential we have here for motorsport. My thanks go out to Fahad, Shaikh Salman and Sherif for making this opportunity possible for me. I will present Bahrain in the best light possible during the test session and will give a good performance. It is an opportunity of a life time and I am sure I will learn much from it.
Raed Raffii will be traveling with Championship Organizer Sherif Al Mahdy in June to Australia. The test session will take place at the Queensland Raceway Circuit with the Paul Morris racing team and has been fully paid by Bahrain International Circuit. Shaikh Salman Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Acting CEO of Bahrain International Circuit, expressed his delight for Raffii’s opportunity and wished him good luck for the test session.
