AL HAYAT - Ali Almansoori Claims BTCC Double at Bahrain National Race Day

Ali Almansoori continued his remarkable winning streak at the start of the 2026/2027 motorsport season, securing a double victory in the Bahrain Touring Car Challenge (BTCC) during the second round of National Race Day. The event took place over the weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), widely known as 'The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East,' where excitement for the new campaign continued to build.

Almansoori, driving a Honda Civic, demonstrated his dominance early in the weekend by securing pole position for the first race with a best lap time of 1 minute 14.613 seconds. Although Isa Ebrahim topped the practice timesheets in his own Honda Civic, Almansoori’s qualifying performance set the stage for a commanding display.

In the opening race, Almansoori crossed the finish line first after completing 15 laps in 19 minutes 36.921 seconds. He finished 6.896 seconds ahead of runner-up Moaaz Elzahrawi, who also drove a Civic, while Ebrahim completed the podium by finishing 8.168 seconds behind the winner. The top eight classification included Ahmed Bajnaid in a Civic, Isa Mahmood in an Acura RSX DC5, James Taylor in a BMW 135i, Abdalla Alseba in a BMW 330i, and Freddie Taylor in a Volkswagen Scirocco. Abdulaziz Taleb, driving another BMW 135i, was not classified.

The second race featured a reverse grid format, which introduced greater competition. Almansoori maintained his lead but faced a stiff challenge from Ebrahim throughout the 15-lap sprint. He ultimately held off the pressure to win in 20 minutes 56.137 seconds, beating Ebrahim by a narrow margin of just 1.243 seconds. Freddie Taylor finished third, 23.236 seconds back, while James Taylor, Abdalla Alseba, Moaaz Elzahrawi, and Abdulaziz Taleb rounded out the classified finishers in fourth through seventh places. Ahmed Bajnaid did not finish the race.

Almansoori’s double victory marked his fourth win from four races this season. It extended his outstanding winning run in the BTCC to 18 consecutive races, following a perfect campaign in the 2025/2026 season where he swept all 14 events to capture the title.

In parallel with the touring car action, the Bahrain Motorcycle Championship (BMC) held its season-opening meeting. Saeed Al Sulaiti and Mohamed Al Zaidan established themselves as leaders from the opening session, setting the pace in practice and securing pole positions in qualifying. Al Sulaiti recorded a pole time of 1 minute 06.130 seconds, while Al Zaidan posted a best lap of 1 minute 09.754 seconds.

Both riders successfully defended their starting positions in the sole 14-lap race. Al Sulaiti, riding a BMW M1000RR, won the 1,000cc class in 15 minutes 50.687 seconds, finishing 17.224 seconds ahead of Jassim Al Thani, who also rode an M1000RR. Fahad Algosaibi completed the podium on a BMW S1000RR, finishing 31.331 seconds behind the winner.

Al Zaidan followed suit in the 600cc category, taking first place in 16 minutes 34.867 seconds. Hassan Al Awadhi, riding a Ducati V2, finished as the runner-up, while Ali Abdulhusain on a Honda CBR600RR joined him on the podium.

Following the races, winners from both the BTCC and BMC were presented with trophies during podium ceremonies. The National Race Day event was organized by the Bahrain International Circuit in cooperation with the Bahrain Motor Federation, the Circuit Racing Commission, and the Bahrain Motorcycle Commission, with all action taking place along BIC’s 2.554-kilometre Inner Track.

The BIC’s 2026/2027 racing calendar includes seven rounds of National Race Day. The next round is scheduled for November 28, followed by a break before the campaign resumes in 2027. Round four will take place on January 15, and round five on January 29. The sixth round is set for April 2, leading to the season finale on April 16.

For further information regarding National Race Day or other events at the circuit, attendees are directed to visit bahraingp.com, contact the BIC Hotline at +973-17450000, or follow the circuit’s official social media channels.

J.Ammar--al-Hayat