DUBAI // Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the new Gulf Challenge is a crucial “investment” in the future of GCC motorsports as he announced the calendar for the inaugural season of the off-road rally series on Thursday.
A brainchild of Ben Sulayem and his former rival in Middle East rallying, Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Bakhashab, the five-round Gulf Challenge will kick off this September in Oman and then travel to the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia before the December finale in Qatar. A Bahrain round is expected to be added to the calendar next year or in 2019.
“We all are really excited about this Gulf Challenge,” said Ben Sulayem, the president of the Automobile and Touring Club of the United Arab Emirates, who got a nod for the new series from the motorsport chiefs of the other five GCC nations after convincing them at a meeting last October.
“It is an event that we need here and it is an event that we believe in. The Gulf Challenge is our first step of investment in the promising motorsport talents in our GCC countries and it will enable us to develop these talents and sustain motorsport in the Gulf region.
“The GCC countries have a proven track record in motorsport and they possess qualified infrastructure to organise and create world class events. We have the Formula One, the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies and the FIM Cross-Country Rally World Championship. The Gulf Challenge will be an important regional addition.
“We are giving a product on demand. We are not giving a product that we think is right, no. This Gulf Challenge is being introduced because this is the demand of the countries, demand of the teams and demand of the drivers and riders themselves.
“The beauty of the Gulf Challenge is that it is affordable and it suits our terrain as well.”
The Gulf Challenge has been devised to be open for various car, motorcycle and quad classes and there will be a separate championship for each discipline. Cars running in the FIA T1, T2 and T3 categories will be eligible to take part in the series, while there will also be two local categories: T1L (modified cars) and T2L (standard cars that are not FIA homologated, but comply with T2 regulations).
There will also be two categories — B1 and B2 — in the buggy division, while the moto class will see competition in five different categories — 450, Over 450, Masters, Marathon and Quads.
“We, in the Steering Committee, met a few times and worked to finalise the calendar and the regulations, so that it will suit our region and cars that are both homologated by the FIA and also for those that are not homologated by the creation of two new groups (T1L and T2L),” said Bakhashab, who is the promoter for the series.
“I hope that we will have a successful first year and hope that this challenge will attract sponsors next year and we will have Bahrain on board soon.”
2017 Gulf Challenge Provisional Calendar
September 7-8: Oman
October 5-6: UAE
October 26-27: Kuwait
November 9-10: Saudi Arabia
December 7-8: Qatar
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Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Scores
Oman 109-3 in 18.4 overs (Aqib Ilyas 45 not out, Aamir Kaleem 27) beat UAE 108-9 in 20 overs (Usman 27, Mustafa 24, Fayyaz 3-16, Bilal 3-23)
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Profile of Tarabut Gateway
Founder: Abdulla Almoayed
Based: UAE
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 35
Sector: FinTech
Raised: $13 million
Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.
Company%20Profile
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Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
RESULT
Aston Villa 1
Samatta (41')
Manchester City 2
Aguero (20')
Rodri (30')
Fight Night
FIGHT NIGHT
Four title fights:
Amir Khan v Billy Dib - WBC International title
Hughie Fury v Samuel Peter - Heavyweight co-main event
Dave Penalosa v Lerato Dlamini - WBC Silver title
Prince Patel v Michell Banquiz - IBO World title
Six undercard bouts:
Michael Hennessy Jr v Abdul Julaidan Fatah
Amandeep Singh v Shakhobidin Zoirov
Zuhayr Al Qahtani v Farhad Hazratzada
Lolito Sonsona v Isack Junior
Rodrigo Caraballo v Sajid Abid
Ali Kiydin v Hemi Ahio
