About Us
UAE Motorsport Star is an innovative new project organised by the Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE, in association with partners including the University of Ulster, to identify and develop talented young race and rally drivers in the country. The programme is part of the organisations long term goal of having drivers from the Emirates competing in the worlds top motorsports championships, such as Formula One, the World Rally Championship, the World Touring Car Championship, and Le Mans.
Under the leadership and direction of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, and H.H. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice-President of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, the United Arab Emirates is quickly becoming one of the world's leading destinations for motorsport, with events such as the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the Dubai International Rally attracting international competitors, spectators and sponsors every year.
UAE Motorsport Star identified five of the nations top young drivers from circuit racing, karting and rally driving, and put them through a series of sports science and media tests to identify an overall winner. The tests were conducted by a team made up of personnel from the ATCUAE and the University of Ulster. Following the tests, a panel of experts identified Mohammad Al Mutawaa, an 18 year old circuit racer and karter from Dubai, and Mohammed Al Dhaheri, a 24 year old karter from Al Ain, as two excellent prospects and crowned them both as the 2011 UAE Motorsport Stars.
The winners will both be rewarded with an all expenses paid training courses at the University of Ulster in the United Kingdom where they will receive expert guidance in career management, nutrition, physical fitness, and mental development, all key attributes of a successful racing driver.
The project has already received a large amount of media interest, amongst both Arabic and English Language press, and this is expected to increase following the training course in September 2011. Among the print media who reported on the scheme were Al – Khaleej, Al Bayan, The National, Gulf Today, Sport 360, and Gulf News. UAE Motorsport Star was also featured on many Arabic and English news and sports and websites.
One of the key elements to UAE Motorsports Star has been the involvement and support of the Dubai Sports Channel. Dubai Sports worked alongside the ATCUAE to film the whole testing process, much of which was performed in their own studios, and will produce an hour long television show about the process. A camera crew will also accompany Al Mutawaa and Al Dhaheri to their training in the UK, and a second television show will focus on this element of the process.
The programme has been deemed a great success by all parties involved as it has already achieved all its objectives, and has helped publicise the hard work of the ATCUAE to develop motorsport in the UAE.
Background
As part of its mission to have UAE licensed racing drivers competing at the top level of global motorsports, the Automobile & Touring Club of the United Arab Emirates (ATCUAE), with assistance from the University of Ulster, has established UAE Motorsport Star. Using the principles of sporting creativity set out by H.H. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, this annual programme will allow talented young drivers based in the UAE the opportunity to receive professional training from qualified and experienced sports scientists from the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland, providing them with the skills and knowledge needed to further their careers in motorsport. The skills taught by the university will focus on off track areas and will cover topics including psychological training, media training, career management, nutrition, and athletic conditioning.