Bahrain ProAm 1000 Canceled for Second Time

The proposed Bahrain ProAm 1000 endurance race will not go ahead next weekend after promoter Driving Force Events elected to cancel the event for a second time.

The Gulf 12 Hours organizer was set to stage a 1000-kilometer GT contest at Bahrain International Circuit, as a new event on the Middle East sports car racing schedule.

Driving Force initially planned to hold the Bahrain ProAm 1000 in December 2021 but canceled it due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions.

The organization then announced a renewed attempt at the event that was scheduled for Jan. 28 this year.

In a statement provided to Sportscar365, Driving Force gave the background to the latest cancelation, which is understood to have been communicated to teams far in advance.

“Following discussions with teams, we have made the difficult, but necessary, decision to cancel the Bahrain ProAm 1000,” the statement read.

“This is the consequence of multiple developments, many of which came about only after the original event was announced.

“The idea was widely appreciated, but this did not convert into enough confirmed entries, and we simply had to make a decision, out of fairness to the circuit and the entered teams/drivers.”

Sports car racing in the Middle East region has grown in recent years, with multiple promoters organizing events that are usually well-attended by European teams seeking track time ahead of their summer programs.

Notable races include the Gulf 12 Hours at Yas Marina Circuit, which forms part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli, and the ACO-run Asian Le Mans Series.

Furthermore, Dutch promoter Creventic holds the Hankook 24H Dubai and the 6H Abu Dhabi every January, as well as the new 12H Kuwait which took place in December.

“The number of GT races in the Middle East is expanding fast but, partly due to the global economic situation, the financial resources of teams and drivers has not necessarily increased in parallel,” the Driving Force statement added.

“So more races are competing for the same total team/driver budgets.

“Having noted a stagnation or drop in participation of GT3 cars in almost all 2022-2023 endurance races in the region, with the only exception of the Gulf 12 Hours, we have decided not to fuel an oversupply of events that could lead to a race which did not match our high standards, and which would have further diluted entries into other events.

“We thank Bahrain International Circuit for the effective collaboration shown over the years with the regret that we have not yet managed to deliver an event fitting the level of this prestigious venue, which we continue to consider the home of motorsport in the Middle East.”