After becoming the first country in the Gulf region to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2004, Bahrain has started manufacturing Bell Helmets, worn by renowned racing world champions like Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. In March, at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, "14 of the 20 drivers were using our Bell Helmets" says Aref Yazbek, Chief Business Officer of Racing Force Group, who adds that these "drivers come from almost all the teams". The Racing Force factory in Sakhir, in southern Bahrain, is the Italian motorsport company's only site in the Middle East. "More than 55% of our manufacturing is shipped to the US" Yazbek explains, "one of the main reasons for coming here (to Bahrain)... is the free trade agreement between the US and Bahrain."
