A celebration 40 years after the UAE’s first unofficial grand prix race will be marked with a motorsport revival at Dubai Autodrome on December 3.
The 1981 Dubai Grand Prix proved historic, as motor racing legends Sir Stirling Moss, Juan Manuel Fangio and Nigel Mansell hit the streets of Deira.
In the only race of its kind, some of the biggest names in motorsport raced around a temporary 2.6-kilometre track near Dubai Corniche on what is now Al Khaleej Road.
The race was a celebration of 10 years of the unification of the Emirates, with a parade of saloon cars, beach buggies and a police marching band.
Four decades on, and the Historic Dubai Grand Prix Revival will pay homage to the 1981 Dubai Grand Prix to mark the UAE’s jubilee year.
“It has been decades since that remarkable event that brought racers, drivers and fans to Dubai to witness the first F1 grand prix in the region,” said Faisal Al Sahlawi, general manager at Dubai Autodrome.
“Since that celebrated event, Dubai has become a host to hundreds of motorsports events.
“This year, the public will once again witness historic Formula One cars, Group C cars and more, racing around the 5.39km Dubai Autodrome Circuit.
“Our goal is to unite the past with the present as we celebrate the country’s 50th Anniversary.”
The two-day event in 1981 aimed to attract new interest in the emerging city of Dubai, and began with a 10-lap saloon car race between celebrity drivers.
Each driver was given a Citroen CX to tear round the track laid out by truck tyres and shipping containers used as temporary paddocks.
A desert motor race was the idea of British business man Martin Hone, an amateur racing driver with an ambition of establishing a street racing series of events in the UK.
In between races over the two days, teams competed for the fastest lap in a Formula One car for the Hyatt Regency Trophy and a $5,000 prize (about $16,000 in today's terms, adjusted for inflation).
There was also a feature race for historic sports cars, won by Gerry Marshall.
The Dubai Autodrome event on December 3 will give a nod to the past, with a display of iconic and classic cars and a UAE heritage village with live music and entertainment.
Celebrity drivers are also expected to attend, while visitors are encouraged to dress in vintage classic style.
December promises to be a big month for motor sport fans in the UAE.
A five-day procession of classic sports cars will tour the country from December 5 under the banner of the thousand-mile Italian race, the Mille Miglia.
A week later on December 12, and Yas Marina Circuit will host what promises to be an exciting climax to the 2021 F1 season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Results
Women finals: 48kg - Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL) bt Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 52kg - Odette Guiffrida (ITA) bt Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 57kg - Nora Gjakova (KOS) bt Anastasiia Konkina (Rus)
Men’s finals: 60kg - Amiran Papinashvili (GEO) bt Francisco Garrigos (ESP); 66kg - Vazha Margvelashvili (Geo) bt Yerlan Serikzhanov (KAZ)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Persuasion
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8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
