As a new season of Formula Middle East prepares to kick off next week at Yas Marina Circuit, many young drivers have every reason to believe this can be a stepping stone towards the ultimate dream of Formula One.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Bringing together Formula Regional Middle East and F4 Middle East (formerly F4 UAE) under one umbrella, the Formula Middle East season is fast-becoming a popular destination for some of the best racing teams in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Gulf region that are looking to develop their drivers during the winter season by providing them with ample track time, up against high-quality competition, at world-class venues.
Barely two years ago, Mercedes’ new F1 recruit Kimi Antonelli was crowned 2023 Formula Regional Middle East champion, clinching the series with Mumbai Falcon Racing.
The year before, he was part of the F4 UAE grid competing for Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema.
Other drivers who will be part of F1’s 2025 rookie class, such as Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar, Haas’ Oliver Bearman, and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, have all taken part in either Formula Regional Middle East or F4 UAE (or both), proving that the road to the pinnacle of motorsport often passes through the Gulf nowadays.
The F4 UAE Championship has evolved into F4 Middle East this season, starting in Abu Dhabi on January 17, and concluding at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia on February 27.
The five-round series features three races at each stop and is expected to have a capacity field of 32 cars.
“We wanted to keep a UAE flavour to the single-seater platform,” says Cyrille Taesch of Top Speed, the organisers of the series.
“We’ve been operating these two championships as a comprehensive single-seater platform for the region, to attract local teams, European teams, and Asian teams, the best of them, during the winter time; and it was just relevant and it made sense for us to have the Formula 4 UAE renamed to Formula 4 Middle East, because we have a plan to go outside of the UAE to run in other racetracks.”
GCC expansion plans
For now, the five rounds will be held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Jeddah but the hope is to visit different tracks in the region in future series.
“We have to deal with the reality of the market, the availabilities of slots at the different tracks in the region and the logistical issues we have,” explained Taesch.
“Because one of the main hurdles we all face in the region for the moment is that we cannot do any trucking, we can only do sea freight to really have a smooth operation. It’s not that easy for a racing organisation to cross borders in the GCC region in one day.
“Sometimes it may take longer, and with a seven-week calendar, to run five rounds, we cannot afford to have any delay clearing customs crossing in the region. That’s the reason we’re being kept a little bit on hold with some of the other racetrack choices we have in the region for this unique logistical customs situation, which we hope will keep evolving in the very near future.”
Despite it being a condensed calendar, Taesch believes they have managed to create an attractive offering for teams, who would otherwise be spending the winter just testing their cars, without giving young drivers a chance to develop their race craft.
“Allocating super license points during the main season, January-February, is also something very attractive,” he added. “Plus they see we go on very nice tracks, which are all FIA grade one facilities, most of the time Formula One race tracks, and give them a real opportunity to not only stay in Europe for testing, but really be there and have lots of mileage behind the wheel in real race life conditions.
“Because the five-round calendar are three races per weekend, which is 15 starts in seven weeks over five rounds, together with the best of the best. Because most of these F1 team proteges, from Alpine, Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston, Ferrari and McLaren, they are there, from F4 and then Formula Regional with us.
“So this is a very good platform, which is very much complementary to the European ones, for those doing F4 Italy or F4 UK, before that, they come here doing F4 in the winter and then they step up to Formula Regional in Europe and then they come to Formula Regional in the GCC region.”
Yas Heat Racing leading the way
According to Taesch, almost a third of the F4 Middle East field this season is made up of GCC-sourced cars, including a pair from Yas Heat Racing.
Based at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, the Yas Heat Racing academy is a driving force for the development of motorsport talent and will have two teenagers, August Raber and Adam Al Azhari, flying their colours during this F4 campaign.
Taesch says the work being done by Yas Heat Racing “is not only important, it’s crucial” and it has sparked similar initiatives in other GCC countries.
“They’ve been the first starting to promote F4 through their own ladder from karting to single-seater. And they’ve been investing. For three years now they are running two cars, they are promoting of course Abu Dhabi, but it’s their way to promote single-seater in the region and for Abu Dhabi,” he said.
“They train and they allow young karting drivers to step up the ladder and this is very important. Because they started and because the platform is bigger now for F4 in the GCC region, we see these other new initiatives coming, like the one from last year with F4 Saudi, which was a national championship.
“But when it comes to creating these academies, they’re really helpful in filling the gap for young kartmen to start discovering single-seater instead of jumping immediately into racing.
“In the wake of the Yas Heat Racing effort from Yas Marina to build that team, we will see this year the same kind of initiative coming from Bahrain with the Winfield Bahrain Academy, which is the branch of the Winfield base at Paul Ricard in France. They decided to set up an academy and they will be entering two cars in the 2025 season.
“In Qatar, QMMS, they have three cars entering F4 Middle East. We now see Xcel GP from the UAE entering four cars, two from Yas Heat Racing, three cars QMMF, two cars from Bahrain – so the number of GCC-sourced teams is growing.”
High ambitions
Yas Heat Racing’s new F4 line-up got an early taste of action when they suited up for the F4 Middle East Trophy last month. Traditionally just a one-off race weekend held alongside the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix, the F4 Middle East Trophy was extended to a three-stop series in 2024, and it saw Raber enjoy his first podium in the final race and Al Azhari claiming two top-five finishes.
Dubai-based Raber, 15, competed in the F4 British Championship last year with Emirati team Xcel Motorsport, earning two top-10 finishes.
He was thrilled to get the chance to race during the Abu Dhabi F1 GP weekend, in preparation for the 2025 F4 Middle East Championship.
“It’s definitely one of the best experiences of my life,” the Swedish teenager told The National during Grand Prix weekend.
“It’s surreal to be honest, there’s so many people here. The atmosphere is very good, I can hear always music, there was just the pit-lane walk here for the F2 and the F4s, there were tons of people.
“I went to the F1 paddock the other day and I saw a lot of the drivers. It just gives me a different perspective, compared to a normal race weekend when there aren’t as many people.”
Raber lived in Dubai from 2010 to 2012 and returned to the Emirates three years ago. He used to play football as a youngster, but when Covid-19 hit his father introduced him to karting because there were fewer restrictions compared to football. When restrictions were lifted, Raber stuck with motorsport and never looked back.
“Obviously, my goal is Formula One. It’s extremely difficult but I hope to work my way up and make the next step into Formula Regional or F3, and obviously into F2 and F1,” he says.
‘Motorsport in UAE is growing finally’
The Yas Heat Racing team is managed by Italian former driver Francesca Pardini, who has three decades worth of experience in motorsport.
She sees great progress being made by former Yas Heat drivers and current team ambassadors like the Emirati trio of Rashid Al Dhaheri, and Amna and Hamda Al Qubaisi. Another Yas Heat graduate, Keanu Al Azhari, clinched second place in the 2024 Spanish F4 championship with MP Motorsport and has earned a seat in the 2025 GB3 Championship, driving for Hitech.
Amna and Hamda enjoyed a two-year stint in F1 Academy, while Al Dhaheri has moved up to Formula Regional Europe, where he will be racing for Prema in 2025.
“Our mission is to involve as many kids as we can in motorsport. It doesn’t matter if they will be a racing driver, or an engineer, or any other role, it’s just to get them to be passionate about motorsport. That’s one of the things,” said Pardini. “And of course to find the next Emirati to make it to Formula One.
“Our ambassadors are doing amazingly, Rashid Al Dhaheri, Amna and Hamda Al Qubaisi, Keanu Al Azhari has graduated, and we’ve got Adam and August this year.
“So let’s say that’s the pinnacle, but we need to think about the grass roots also. And of course we want girls as well. Because me, as an ex-racing driver, I was the first woman to win a championship in Italy in 2001, so we’re talking about 23 years ago, and I see that there are more girls now. We want to grow motorsport in the UAE in general.”
Pardini predicts “a brilliant career” for Al Dhaheri and is certain he won’t be the only talent to emerge and break through from the UAE.
She sees Yas Heat playing an important role in the development of drivers, but also believes they are making an impact in keeping racing enthusiasts off the streets and instead attracting them to a much safer and more controlled environment through initiatives like the kart track days at Yas Marina Circuit.
Pardini says the growth of the F4 Middle East Championship has been “beautiful to see”, adding: “The biggest teams from around Europe, or even America or Australia, they’re coming to race in the UAE. That means the federation and everybody is doing a good job.
“Now the sport in the UAE is growing finally and, if we can contribute, that’s great. We are here to contribute. But we see the result, what’s being done from EMSO, from Yas Marina, Dubai Autodrome, we are all together in the same field. We don’t fight against each other, we are actually supporting each other.”
Looking to the coming F4 season, Pardini is confident the Yas Heat duo of Raber and Adam Al Azhari can achieve podiums.
“We’re preparing our drivers for the new season. We’re seeing where their weaknesses are, how they can improve. Working on their body condition, their mental condition, maybe do some testing on the simulator. They are improving a lot because our drivers are very fast,” she said.
“They just need to manage better the race in terms of strategy. But they’re here to learn, so it’s normal. The good thing is they don’t make too many mistakes. For me, we want to see the UAE flag on the podium. Of course, we go for the podium and the victory. Otherwise, if you do not think big, you cannot win big. But potentially they can be easily on the podium.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Match info
Bournemouth 1 (King 45 1')
Arsenal 2 (Lerma 30' og, Aubameyang 67')
Man of the Match: Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal)
if you go
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Brief scores:
Scotland 371-5, 50 overs (C MacLeod 140 no, K Coetzer 58, G Munsey 55)
England 365 all out, 48.5 overs (J Bairstow 105, A Hales 52; M Watt 3-55)
Result: Scotland won by six runs
More on animal trafficking
The%20Killer
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
How Tesla’s price correction has hit fund managers
Investing in disruptive technology can be a bumpy ride, as investors in Tesla were reminded on Friday, when its stock dropped 7.5 per cent in early trading to $575.
It recovered slightly but still ended the week 15 per cent lower and is down a third from its all-time high of $883 on January 26. The electric car maker’s market cap fell from $834 billion to about $567bn in that time, a drop of an astonishing $267bn, and a blow for those who bought Tesla stock late.
The collapse also hit fund managers that have gone big on Tesla, notably the UK-based Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust and Cathie Wood’s ARK Innovation ETF.
Tesla is the top holding in both funds, making up a hefty 10 per cent of total assets under management. Both funds have fallen by a quarter in the past month.
Matt Weller, global head of market research at GAIN Capital, recently warned that Tesla founder Elon Musk had “flown a bit too close to the sun”, after getting carried away by investing $1.5bn of the company’s money in Bitcoin.
He also predicted Tesla’s sales could struggle as traditional auto manufacturers ramp up electric car production, destroying its first mover advantage.
AJ Bell’s Russ Mould warns that many investors buy tech stocks when earnings forecasts are rising, almost regardless of valuation. “When it works, it really works. But when it goes wrong, elevated valuations leave little or no downside protection.”
A Tesla correction was probably baked in after last year’s astonishing share price surge, and many investors will see this as an opportunity to load up at a reduced price.
Dramatic swings are to be expected when investing in disruptive technology, as Ms Wood at ARK makes clear.
Every week, she sends subscribers a commentary listing “stocks in our strategies that have appreciated or dropped more than 15 per cent in a day” during the week.
Her latest commentary, issued on Friday, showed seven stocks displaying extreme volatility, led by ExOne, a leader in binder jetting 3D printing technology. It jumped 24 per cent, boosted by news that fellow 3D printing specialist Stratasys had beaten fourth-quarter revenues and earnings expectations, seen as good news for the sector.
By contrast, computational drug and material discovery company Schrödinger fell 27 per cent after quarterly and full-year results showed its core software sales and drug development pipeline slowing.
Despite that setback, Ms Wood remains positive, arguing that its “medicinal chemistry platform offers a powerful and unique view into chemical space”.
In her weekly video view, she remains bullish, stating that: “We are on the right side of change, and disruptive innovation is going to deliver exponential growth trajectories for many of our companies, in fact, most of them.”
Ms Wood remains committed to Tesla as she expects global electric car sales to compound at an average annual rate of 82 per cent for the next five years.
She said these are so “enormous that some people find them unbelievable”, and argues that this scepticism, especially among institutional investors, “festers” and creates a great opportunity for ARK.
Only you can decide whether you are a believer or a festering sceptic. If it’s the former, then buckle up.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
Top 10 in the F1 drivers' standings
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 202 points
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 188
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 169
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 117
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 116
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 67
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 56
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 45
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 35
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 26
One in four Americans don't plan to retire
Nearly a quarter of Americans say they never plan to retire, according to a poll that suggests a disconnection between individuals' retirement plans and the realities of ageing in the workforce.
Experts say illness, injury, layoffs and caregiving responsibilities often force older workers to leave their jobs sooner than they'd like.
According to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research, 23 per cent of workers, including nearly two in 10 of those over 50, don't expect to stop working. Roughly another quarter of Americans say they will continue working beyond their 65th birthday.
According to government data, about one in five people 65 and older was working or actively looking for a job in June. The study surveyed 1,423 adults in February this year.
For many, money has a lot to do with the decision to keep working.
"The average retirement age that we see in the data has gone up a little bit, but it hasn't gone up that much," says Anqi Chen, assistant director of savings research at the Centre for Retirement Research at Boston College. "So people have to live in retirement much longer, and they may not have enough assets to support themselves in retirement."
When asked how financially comfortable they feel about retirement, 14 per cent of Americans under the age of 50 and 29 per cent over 50 say they feel extremely or very prepared, according to the poll. About another four in 10 older adults say they do feel somewhat prepared, while just about one-third feel unprepared.
"One of the things about thinking about never retiring is that you didn't save a whole lot of money," says Ronni Bennett, 78, who was pushed out of her job as a New York City-based website editor at 63.
She searched for work in the immediate aftermath of her layoff, a process she describes as akin to "banging my head against a wall." Finding Manhattan too expensive without a steady stream of income, she eventually moved to Portland, Maine. A few years later, she moved again, to Lake Oswego, Oregon. "Sometimes I fantasise that if I win the lottery, I'd go back to New York," says Ms Bennett.
Meydan race card
6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
7.05pm: Handicap Dh 185,000 2,000m
7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap Dh 190,000 1,400m
8.50pm: Handicap Dh 175,000 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap Dh 175,000 1,200m
10pm: Handicap Dh 165,000 1,600m
Company%C2%A0profile
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The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
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Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Motori Profile
Date started: March 2020
Co-founder/CEO: Ahmed Eissa
Based: UAE, Abu Dhabi
Sector: Insurance Sector
Size: 50 full-time employees (Inside and Outside UAE)
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Safe City Group
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Company%20Profile
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Afro%20salons
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia