A medical team is gearing up for this weekend’s Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2023.

Among the 120 specialists, who will be on duty from Friday to Sunday at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir, are surgeons, anaesthetist, plastic surgeons, orthopaedic and emergency physicians.

The team was put through its paces during live exercises and mock drills organised by the Bahrain Motor Federation at the Crowne Plaza Bahrain hotel yesterday.

“We have a team of 120 medical personnel from government hospitals, which is more than last year (when there were 90 medics) to intervene in case of any emergency and ensure the smooth success of this year’s race,” Bahrain’s F1 race chief medical officer Dr Amjad Obeid told the GDN, which was invited exclusively to witness the drills and cover the ‘Motorsport Medicine Seminar’.

“The team includes an extrication and intervention team, a rapid response team, logistics, paramedics and seven ambulances on standby.”

The medics, fully equipped to receive patients, will be deployed at the medical centre at the BIC and also at the VIP Tower.

“In addition, there will be two helicopters on stand-by – one at the BDF and the other at Sakhir Airbase to airlift a patient, if necessary.

“We have always had a strong collaboration with the BDF, which will be the first hospital to receive cases, and the Salmaniya Medical Complex.”

Bahrain is set to host the first race of the 2023 Formula 1 season this weekend, and it will be the fifth time that the BIC will be hosting the opening race of the season.

During the seminar, Dr Obeid briefed the medical team on post-crash responsibilities, protocols to be followed in case of an accident on track, and other safety measures.

“We will be holding a full-scale emergency drill on Thursday at the BIC which will feature extricating a race driver from a simulated accident.”

The mock drill will be held under the supervision of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), which is the governing body of world motor sport and the federation of the world’s leading motoring organisations.

“In 2007, Bahrain was the first country to conduct the exercise ahead of the race to test our readiness, which the FIA made it mandatory later globally.”

Dr Obeid highlighted previous key interventions of the F1 medical team in emergency cases where they responded in less than 15 seconds.

He was referring to the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix race, where Ferrari mechanic Francesco Cigarini suffered a serious leg injury and later underwent successful surgery at the BDF Hospital.

During a pit stop, driver Kimi Raikkonen was given the signal to go before one of his rear tyres was replaced, causing the car to run over Mr Cigarini’s leg.

Another fiery accident that made headlines involved F1 driver Romain Grosjean whose car crashed into a barrier before splitting in two and bursting into flames at the 2020 race in Bahrain.

He miraculously scrambled out of the blazing wreckage of his car almost unscathed, apart from minor burns to his hands and ankles, helped by a brave marshal and swift response by the F1 medical team.

An investigation conducted by the FIA stated that Grosjean was going at 192kmph when he hit the metal crash barrier and his car exploded into a fireball.

The impact was estimated at 67Gs, a force equivalent to 67 times his body weight.

By comparison, heavy braking in an F1 car produces about 6Gs.

“We are ready to maintain our excellent safety records and maintain a high level of professionalism like every year this time,” said Dr Obeid.

The F1 medical team will work closely with more than 800 marshals deployed across the track, civil defence and other teams.

This year’s race will mark its 19th edition and a landmark 10th race at night under BIC’s state-of-the-art floodlights.

Off-track activities will include a headline performance on Saturday by music producer, artist and DJ Craig David, who will be entertaining fans with his incredible TS5 DJ set.

On Friday night, DJ Snake takes the main stage at the BIC.

All ticket-holders will be able to enjoy both concerts at no extra cost.

For more information, visit bahraingp.com or call the BIC hotline 17450000.

 

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