Racing lines
James Fryer talks to Dubai’s answer to Fernando Alonso, Mohammed Al Kamda, about the future of motor sports in the UAE.
Motor racing in the UAE is synonymous with the achievements of renowned rally driver Mohammed bin Sulayem – a national who has won more rallies than we’ve had hot shwarmas. But 20 years on from Sulayem’s first Middle East Rally Championship title and attention is shifting from off-road rally driving to the asphalt circuit, and from the great man himself to a few new kids on the block.
The new racing blood fills the veins of three drivers who battled their way through a shortlist of 60 contenders to go forward as the first wave of HH Skeikh Hamdan bin Mohammed’s Racing Drivers Academy team. Mohammed Al Kamda, Hasher Maktoum and Faisal Al Redha were hand-picked after proving their worth at the Dubai Autodrome, and have been jetting off to the French Motorsport Federation’s prestigious La Filière training centre in Le Mans to train with and compete against 17 other drivers from across the globe. The Dubai-based academy that has made it all possible was established to discover Emirati talent and prepare drivers to represent their nation on an international level. The first three drivers will have soon completed their vigorous training at Dubai Autodrome and La Filière (where they’ve each competed in up to 14 races over seven weekends), forming the first wave of an eventual 10 drivers who will make up the country’s elite racing team. What’s On caught up with Mohammed Al Kamda as he prepared for another weekend on the track.
How were you selected for the Academy?
We went through various tests to see our capabilities of driving and controlling the car on the racing track.
Is this your first time behind the wheel?
I started karting in 1989 in Jebel Ali with the National Kart Series, with an 80cc two-stroke engine. I won two championships in 1994 and 1995. There are only a handful of local people racing, maybe five or six.
Did you always want to be a racing driver?
Yes. Motor racing was my first passion, especially on the circuit. I also studied mechanical engineering in the United States.
How often do you practise?
Whenever the Autodrome offers us track time. Training in the car is important, but fitness is the key for where I am today.
How far has your fitness improved since you joined the Academy?
I wasn’t progressing for some time and couldn’t work out why. I was getting tired, especially with the G-force on the corners. Then I started working out and my lap times improved. You have to keep your heart rate down, your blood circulating and oxygen levels up. I run every day and physical training is still the number one priority. I was bad when we started. At La Filière the other drivers would run for 30 minutes and I’d run for two. Now I don’t just keep up with them, I beat them. Here, where it’s 40 degrees outside, if you do 20 minutes you’ll do an hour in nice weather easily.
How has motor racing developed in the region over the past decade?
Here in the UAE in the ’90s it was all about rallies – racing in the desert challenges. I was a spectator but I never joined up because I loved the circuit. They’re two completely different sports. But most of the funding and the public interest at the time was in rallying.
Is that likely to change?
It is changing rapidly. More money is being invested in circuit racing. There are a lot more people interested.
Why do you prefer the circuit?
I like the closed atmosphere of a circuit because you’re not sure what’s going to happen. You have to concentrate and there’s a lot of pressure.
How have you found the La Filière driver training weekends?
We compete against the local drivers there but they have more training on the circuit. We show up at a circuit we’ve never seen or raced on before and we only have 20 minutes of free practice to get to the same level. Then we have to qualify and race. But we’re getting very good results. We’re finishing in the top five.
Where would you like your career to take you?
The Monaco Grand Prix. My ambitions are much bigger than what we’re doing now.
What’s been your most memorable race so far?
We’ve had a race in France called Pau – it’s a street circuit. I actually had position one. I was on fire, so I started pushing harder. But there was a difficult chicane and I crashed the car. You have to know your limits.
Have you had many collisions on the track?
I’ve had my fair share of driver error, but you quickly learn from your mistakes.
And on the road?
Only slight fender benders, nothing major.
What do you think about the standard of driving in the UAE?
Driving here is very dangerous. Safety is very important. For people who like speed and want to drive fast I’d recommend they go and learn before they hurt themselves or anybody else.
What’s your top speed ever reached?
We’re interested in lap times, not speed. In fact we don’t have speedometers. A proper race car will only have RPM, temperature and oil. There’s a difference between being fast and being quick. I prefer being quick.
Is there anyone in the world of motorsport who is your career idol?
The late Ayrton Senna. The way he used to race inspires me. I even designed my helmet after his. Except mine has the UAE flag and the UAE falcon.
What was the first car that you owned?
A 1985 Landrover Defender and I still have it. I bought it to have fun in the desert – it’s the best car in the world.
How many cars do own now?
Five. The track car – a 34 Skyline; an R31 Skyline – that’s more of a classic car – and an R32 GTS. I have a Nissan Patrol for my daily drive and the Porsche Cayenne to show off in.
You play polo too?
I started polo in 1995 and in the States I was rated at two goals. But you cannot progress here, so you always have to travel abroad. For fun it’s good.
Can any comparisons be drawn between playing polo and circuit racing?
You need a lot of body fitness to do both – eye-hand coordination and anticipation. You have to calculate the next move two or three seconds beforehand. Both sports require a lot of mental agility.
When can the motor sport fans of the UAE next see you in action?
There’s the FIA GT in November in Dubai. We’ll hopefully compete if we can get a car. We’re also competing at the final La Filière races at the end of September and in October, but the audience will have to travel to France.
So, you think you’re a racing driver?
If you hold a UAE passport, you’re aged between 14 and 20 years old and you fancy joining the three Academy-selected drivers in representing the future of UAE motor sports, get yourself down to Dubai Autodrome one evening from October 1 for the first wave of testing on the kart track. The best 60 will then be assessed by professional instructors and motor sport champions, before another shortlist of 30 and then 10 are selected. The final talented three will follow in the footsteps of the current Academy front-runners and embark on a training programme in conjunction with La Filière training centre.
For more information about the HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Racing Driver’s Academy telephone (04) 3678700 or visit www.dubaiautodrome.com. For more information about La Filière visit www.lafiliereffsa.com.