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“History repeats itself’- this popular adage is very apt to describe the motorsport historical events in the UAE.Back in 1981, the Dubai Autodrome facility hosted the country’s first ever Grand Prix as part of the nation’s 10thAnniversary. Then Chief of Police, the 28-year-old Dhani KhalfanTamin andMajor Saeed Khalfan, who was also the Chairman of Al Nasr Motor Sports Club,approached Marin Hone to run a one-off Dubai Grand Prix with global famous drivers including Nigel, Mansel, Juan Manuel Fangio, and Stirling Moss, among others. This historical motorsportevent stirred great interest in racing enthusiasts and has successfullyput Dubai’s name on the region’s history of motorsport.
Forty years after, the mega event is being revived to make Dubai a motorsport destination as well as to unlock doors for local racers. Set to commence on December 2, the historic Dubai Grand Prix is poised to replicate the success of the 1981 race withiconic cars from all over the world to race in the Dubai Autodrome. The event will witnessthe Historic F1 and group C cars from the 70s up to the 90sand are guaranteed to turn heads with their unique designs and furious engine.
It has been decades since that groundbreaking event and Dubai has hosted hundreds of motorsport events since then. The world of motorsport has seen developments and innovations, and this upcoming event will not just hype up racers but it will open potential collaborations especially in the field of Research and Development in this field. There are many sectors yet to be approachedwith untapped sources of innovation.
This much-anticipated racing event is also set to open new doors for several industries and it is a perfect platform to introduce new racers and inspire the young generations. The Dubai Autodrome, host of both groundbreaking events, is training and producing racers of tomorrow. The mega event is an avenue to catch the eye of renowned and emerging celebrity racers. There is a growing interest in karting and racing among youngstersand this could be anadded dose of inspiration.
As the major race is about to start, it isalso unlockingsuccess stories from participants. Jeremy Loise, one of the racers,reflects on his racing journey and what the revival means to him. Jeremy started his racing career in 2018 at the Dubai Autodrome and has joined some of the world’s most prestigious events including the Historic Monacco Grand Prix in May 2021. He honed his driving skills in a Renault Clio at the Dubai Autodromeandwent on to drive a historic F1 car in Dijon, France. Now back to where it all started, Jeremy is ecstatic to be a part of the race set to recreate the Historic Dubai Grand Prix.
With passion in his eyes, Jeremy said: “I am 35, and I am not going to be a champion. For sheer joy, though, I can be a speedy gentlemen driver.Racing in a few F1 historic events alongside my friends and compete in a few GT races are enough for met. I believe it's not terrible for a Clio driver who only started three years ago to compete in the Historic Monaco Grand Prix in May 2021, the Fun Cup at the commencement of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in August, and then the forthcoming Historic Dubai Grand Prix.”
Reliving the historical event will pave the way for more inspirational stories like that of Jeremy. Indeed, a mega event is not a singular event but rather a compilation of experiences derived or connected to it.
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