Khaled Al Qubaisi is one of the most accomplished and well respected figures in UAE motorsport, and now his daughters are set to carry the family legacy into the future.
Among his many motor racing achievements, Al Qubaisi, who has raced three times in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, has won the Dubai 24 Hour twice, in 2012 and 2013, and the Yas Marina 12-Hour Race, also in 2013,
His daughters, 21-year-old Amna and 19-year-old Hamda, are well on their way to emulating their father. Both sisters have graduated from Karting to Formula racing, and Al Qubaisi believes Amna and Hamda will become role models for a new generation of racing drivers.
"They have a bright future," Al Qubaisi, managing director of Abu Dhabi Motorsports, told The National. "Firstly, it is important to acknowledge that we have two great Emirati female drivers in Formula racing professionally and competing at this level.
“That is taking nothing away from them as racing drivers, but they are a great image booster to the UAE, the region and the Arab nations.
“They are not just female drivers but competitive female drivers. They have amazed the motor racing fraternity in Italy, as they were the only two female drivers among the 30-odd male drivers.
“It’s something to be proud of as a country to have such great drivers to demonstrate the talent and success of Emirati females.”
Amna is in Formula-3 and a member of the champion Prema Team that won the Asian team championship by a wide margin when the event was held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in February.
Hamda is also part of Prema Team and travelled to Italy three weeks ago for a rigid programme of testing and training where she was in the top five in the speed test. She will compete in the F4 Italian and German championship in April and May and will continue with her schooling in Italy until October.
“[Prima Team] won’t take anyone other than those with potential because they want to be the best team,” Al Qubaisi said. “Amna had the privilege of being selected for them. It’s not just about the money, because there are many drivers with big budgets who can pay to be in a top team.
“But teams choose drivers based on talent, personality, character, commitment, discipline and so many other things. So when they choose Amna and Hamda to be part of their team that is a big statement in itself."
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Amna Al Qubaisi wins first Formula 4 UAE race
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Amna's prodigious racing career has involved breaking plenty of barriers. Having started karting in 2014 at the age of 14, she became the first female Arab to participate at the Rotax Max Challenge World Finals the following year.
In 2017, Amna won the UAE RMC Championship – the first Arab female to do so. As she progressed through the motor racing ranks, success followed her, including the 2018 Italian F4 Championship with Prema.
Hamda, meanwhile, has closely followed in her older sister's footsteps. Over two years racing in the UAE, she had six wins – one with a winning margin of nearly 11 seconds – and eight pole positions. In Europe, Hamda has managed three top 10s spots in her first season.
“This has been the most competitive seasons for both Hamda in F4 and Amna in F3," Al Qubaisi said. "They are very talented. I know someone who has been in motorsports for a long time and he tells me ‘your girls have the potential to reach F1 level’."
As for most aspiring racing drivers, Formula One is the ultimate goal for Amna and Hamda. “Otherwise, we won’t be wasting our time and energy,” Al Qubaisi said. “Of course, they still have a long way to go and a lot of support required to get them there.
“I think they have the talent. It’s just a matter of time and a combination of performances and results. They have been delivering it so far and have impressed in whatever was needed from them to take the next step.”
One possible avenue is the W-Series – the all-female championship, which offers winning drivers the chance to race in Formula 2, the traditional stepping stone to F1.
“In the W-series they will be racing alongside F1 drivers, providing them the exposure to compete,” Al Qubaisi said. “The winner of the race gets the opportunity to race in F2, so we are looking at this and talking to them.”
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Henderson, Pickford, Pope.
Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Dier, Gomez, Keane, Maguire, Maitland-Niles, Mings, Saka, Trippier, Walker.
Midfielders Henderson, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse, Winks.
Forwards Abraham, Barnes, Calvert-Lewin, Grealish, Ings, Kane, Rashford, Sancho, Sterling.
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.
Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
- Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
- Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
- If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
- The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
- Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
- Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
Race card
1.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
2pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 84,000 (D) 1,400m
2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,200m
3pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1.950m
3.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,800m
4pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 68,000 (D) 1,000m
