Emirati girl, Hamda Al Qubaisi, invited to challenge top young drivers in Europe

Hamda Al Qubaisi, a 13-year-old Emirati, has been invited to drive in the three-race CIK-FIA Kartin Academy Trophy, a high-level development series in Europe.

Hamda Al Qubaisi. Photo Courtesy / Abu Dhabi Racing

Hamda Al Qubaisi, the rising UAE karting star, has been invited to participate in the prestigious CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy.

The 13-year-old is the first Emirati to be invited for the FIA-sponsored Trophy and will be racing in the colours of FIA Women in Motorsport.

“I’m really proud of Hamda to be chosen for this important test,” said her father Khaled Al Qubaisi, the founder of Daman Speed Academy and managing director of Abu Dhabi Racing.

“This is a prestigious championship as it is by invitation only, 51 drivers from around the world who have to be nominated by their countries and have an accomplished racing background to be considered and selected.”

Said Hamda: “I’ve gained very good experience from my UAE Rotax Max Challenge participations and from my recent test in the Rotax Max Euro at Genk track (Belgium).

“My goal in Essay (France) and the following two rounds in Portugal and Sweden is to increase my experience and try to be amongst the top half of the grid.”

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The 2016 season will be the Academy Trophy’s seventh. Last year Spaniard Marta Garcia, then 14, became the first girl to win the series.

Since its inception in 2010, the Academy has graduated the likes of Charles Leclerc, the inaugural champion who will be an F1 development driver for Ferrari and Haas this year and race in GP3 with ART Grand Prix and European Formula 3 drivers Anthoine Hubert and Ben Barnicoat.

The series is contested by drivers aged 13-15. It will feature three races, at Essay, France, Portimao, Portugal and Kristianstad, Sweden.

The first race, in France, is on Sunday, April 24. The Portugal race is June 26 and the Sweden race will be held September 4.

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