Bahrain Endurance Race: 8-Hour Challenge

The 8 Hours of Bahrain is a sports car race held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. It was first held on 29 September 2012 as the sixth round of the 2012 World Endurance Championship. The race was extended from 6 hours to 8 hours, and in 2023, it took place on 4 November as the seventh and final round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The 2024 race is scheduled for 2 November.

The 8 Hours of Bahrain is a sports car race

The race was first held on 29 September 2012, as the sixth round of the 2012 World Endurance Championship. Since then, it has been a fixture on the championship calendar, with at least one race held at the Bahrain International Circuit every year. The 2022 race was the eleventh running of the event and the fourth in the extended eight-hour format.

The 8 Hours of Bahrain is a highly anticipated event, attracting motorsport stars and fans alike. It is known for its challenging 15-turn layout, which is particularly demanding on tyres. The race usually starts in the early afternoon and continues into the night, with temperatures dropping after sunset, adding to the challenge.

The 2024 race, which took place on 2 November, was the season finale of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Toyota Gazoo Racing won the race, setting a new record with five victories in a single season. The team also secured the manufacturers' World Championship, adding to their impressive record at the Bahrain International Circuit.

The race is not without its controversies, though. The inaugural race in 2012 clashed with the 2012 Petit Le Mans, causing some disruption to the motorsport calendar. Despite this, the 8 Hours of Bahrain has become a staple of the FIA World Endurance Championship, providing exciting racing action and entertainment for fans around the world.

It is held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain

The 8 Hours of Bahrain is a sports car race held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. The race was first held on 29 September 2012 as the sixth round of the 2012 World Endurance Championship. The Bahrain International Circuit has hosted at least one race in every World Endurance Championship season to date. The 5.412km circuit has been a successful venue for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, which has won eight of the 11 WEC races there since 2012 and is aiming for a seventh successive victory. The race typically starts in the early afternoon and runs into the night, with temperatures dropping after sunset.

The 8 Hours of Bahrain is part of the FIA World Endurance Championship, which has become one of the premier championships under the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the leading global series for endurance racing. It attracts many stars in motorsport and continues to grow in popularity, with races taking place in eight countries across four continents. The 2022 8 Hours of Bahrain was held on 12 November as the sixth and final round of the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship. The 2023 race took place on 4 and 5 November, and the 2024 race is scheduled for 2 November.

The race is an endurance sports car racing event, with the 2022 edition being the eleventh running of the 8 Hours of Bahrain and the fourth in an extended 8-hour format. The 2021 race was originally scheduled for 8 hours but was brought forward to 6 hours. The Bahrain International Circuit is known for its challenging 15-turn layout, which is particularly demanding on tyres due to changing conditions. The circuit features long straights with overtaking possibilities, high-speed corners, and some elevation changes, providing a varied and exciting racing experience.

The race was first held on 29 September 2012

The 8 Hours of Bahrain is a sports car race held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. The race was conceived for the FIA World Endurance Championship and was first held on 29 September 2012 as the sixth round of the 2012 World Endurance Championship.

The inaugural race in 2012 was mired in controversy as its date clashed with the 2012 Petit Le Mans. The 8 Hours of Bahrain race was an extension of the previous 6 Hours of Bahrain race. The 2020 edition of the race was held on 14 November as the season finale of the 2019-20 FIA World Endurance Championship. It was the eighth running of the race and the second time it was held in the extended 8-hour format.

The 8 Hours of Bahrain race has continued to be a part of the World Endurance Championship calendar. In 2021, the original 8-hour race was brought forward and another 6-hour race was added, creating the championship's first double-header. The Bahrain International Circuit has hosted at least one race in every World Endurance Championship season to date, including the most recent race in November 2024.

The race typically attracts manufacturers and drivers from around the world, with Toyota, Porsche, Ferrari, and Aston Martin among the car brands represented in the 2020 race. The endurance format of the race, combined with the challenging Bahrain International Circuit, makes it a unique event in the championship calendar.

It is part of the FIA World Endurance Championship

The 8 Hours of Bahrain is a sports car race held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. It was created for the FIA World Endurance Championship and was first held on 29 September 2012 as the sixth round of the 2012 World Endurance Championship. The race has been a part of the championship every year since, with the exception of 2021 when the original 8-hour race was brought forward to a 6-hour race due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The race is one of the premier championships under the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the leading global series for endurance racing. It attracts many stars in motorsport and continues to grow in popularity each year, with races taking place across four continents.

The 2024 race, which took place from 31 October to 2 November, was the eighth and final round of the year's FIA World Endurance Championship. It was an exciting climax to the WEC campaign, with Toyota Gazoo Racing claiming victory.

The Bahrain International Circuit has hosted at least one race in every World Endurance Championship season to date.

Toyota Gazoo Racing won the 2023 race

The 8 Hours of Bahrain is a sports car race held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. It was first held on 29 September 2012 as the sixth round of the World Endurance Championship.

The #7 GR010 HYBRID, driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and José María López, put up a strong fight and finished second. Conway was knocked out of second place at the first corner by the #2 Cadillac, dropping him to the back of the field. However, he began a stirring fightback, making a series of decisive overtaking manoeuvres to return to the top five within the first 35 minutes. Kobayashi and López also put up a strong performance, with Kobayashi setting the fastest lap of the race.

Toyota Gazoo Racing's victory in the 2023 8 Hours of Bahrain marked the team's sixth win of the season and their seventh successive victory in Bahrain. The team also secured their fifth consecutive World Championship double of manufacturers' and drivers' titles, capping off an exciting season of Hypercar competition against fierce rivals such as Cadillac, Ferrari, Porsche, Peugeot, and Vanwall.

Frequently asked questions