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MAN Truck & Bus Middle East was in the spotlight on the main racing day of the 2018 Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix as one of the marque’s trucks carried what was surely its most expensive load in history around the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).
The company was chosen to support the teams on and off the circuit with its portfolio of robust machines, most importantly during the popular drivers’ parade around the track.
Prior to the official start for the night race on Sunday, all the F1 drivers were taken on a parade lap around the track on an open trailer platform for the traditional greeting of the crowds. An MAN TGS 21.400 4x2 Long Haul Tractor unit was used to tow the trailer around the entire circuit.
Locally, these trucks are predominantly used for transporting goods across long distances, such as from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia and beyond. However, instead of hauling large containers or curtain-sides, it was 20 of the fastest men on the planet, plus camera and interview crews.
Furthermore, a number of MAN trucks were also supplied to Formula One’s official logistics partner, DHL, to transport all the cars and equipment from Bahrain International Airport to the BIC and back.
Simon Keen, general manager of AMA Motors, the sole distributors of MAN trucks in Bahrain, said: “Considering the prominence and global audience watching the race, with hundreds of millions tuning in, we are delighted that the organisers decided that MAN was best equipped to support the parade.
“In addition to this, MAN trucks also ensured the safe transportation of all the race cars to the circuit and back to the Bahrain airport concluding a successful end-to-end support initiative for the logistical needs of Formula One in Bahrain.
“This is an excellent event for us to be part of every year, and we like to support it in any way we can thanks to our long-standing partnership with the BIC. We’re proud that MAN trucks provide the only service on the calendar, I believe, where all the drivers are on one single trailer as they go around the track.”
Aside from the drivers, another TGS 21.400 ferried special guests and customers of the Paddock Club around the track on the popular ‘truck tours’. This granted visitors the opportunity to experience being driven around the track with live commentary about its history and layout.
The TGS 21.400 itself is one of the most advanced and robust trucks available on the market.
The organisers needed a truck that was both stylish and reliable truck, and the TGS has both in abundance. The air suspension allows for easy hooking up to the trailer, and also provides long-distance comfort for the driver, as does the spacious bunk.
MAN Truck & Bus, with headquarters in the German city of Munich, is one of the leading international suppliers of commercial vehicles and transport solutions, with production plants in three European countries as well as in Russia, South Africa, India and Turkey.
MAN has written its own history with its development from a small assembly plant to today where trucks and buses with the silver lion can be seen on roads across the globe, and none more so than in Bahrain.
In 2016, the company achieved a 74 per cent market share of trucks sold in Bahrain, the highest percentage recorded globally, which won its distributor a special accolade of recognition.
Furthermore, the innovative Tipmatic gearbox is regarded by industry experts as an excellent safety feature as well as being extremely reliable. It is essentially a manual gearbox that works like an automatic and ensures the driver is free to concentrate on the driving itself.
According to the company, Tipmatic gearboxes can cover more than one million kilometres without needing to be changed, and the positive response of these devices means that now more than 70 per cent of MAN trucks sold in Bahrain are Tipmatic.
For more information about MAN contact AMA Motors on 17600600, call into the Sitra showroom or visit www.amamotors.com.bh
