Bahrain’s motorsport engineers design ventilator at break-neck speed

The country’s ministry of health has already ordered 100 machines thanks to a sped-up regulatory process at Bahrain's International Circuit

The Bahrain International Circuit is currently producing ventilators for Bahrain's health system. Galen Clarke/The National

A team of engineers from Bahrain’s International Circuit has designed ventilators from scratch, and already has its first order.

The team worked with respiratory therapy, intensive care and medical equipment specialists and doctors from Salmaniya Medical complex to create the device, designed for use by non-critical patients who require respiratory assistance.

The engineers took just under two weeks to design the two different ventilators, led by BIC mechanical engineer, Kamel Al-Taan and Tareq Al Tajer. Both devices have been approved for use by Bahrain’s Ministry of Health, which has placed an order for 100 machines.

The country currently has 1,895 cases of the virus, and seven people have died.

The machines have been designed and produced on site at the Grand Prix circuit, echoing the British Project Pitlane initiative involving seven Formula 1 teams working on ventilators.

“At a time of global crisis, we have been seeking ways in which the BIC can support the fight against Covid-19,” said Fayez Ramzy Fayez, Chief Operating Officer at the BIC.

“Our engineers have met that challenge by designing a ventilator system specifically to support those suffering from Covid-19. As this is a global effort, we are happy to make these designs available to other organisations around the world who are seeking to find similar solutions.”