Left field
The Reuters global sports blog
When will F1 have a Middle Eastern driver?
Abu Dhabi’s new Formula One circuit has given the Middle East seemingly unbeatable bragging rights as home to the world’s most modern and lavish track.
“No one is going to top this,” commented Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone on his arrival at Yas Marina and he may well be right.
Spending billions of dollars cannot buy atmosphere, of course, and Abu Dhabi is a long way from Silverstone, Spa and Monza, but the signs so far are that the locals are pretty passionate about their motorsport.
“Monaco, Montreal and Singapore do different things fantastically,” Khaldoon al Mubarak, chief executive of the Abu Dhabi government’s business development company as well as Manchester City soccer club, told the National newspaper.
“Our hope is Abu Dhabi can take it to a whole new level.”
The circuit is an obvious sign of that intention but it is not built in isolation.
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Resident Left Field Expert
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A good question Mr Baldini.
There was a Bahraini candidate in last year’s GP2 Asia Series by the name of Hamad Al Fardan. Former Formula BMW Asia driver (3rd in 2005) and ran a bit in British F3, too, taking 3rd in the National class in 2007.
Didn’t do badly in GP2 Asia… a couple of points, but never a championship hopeful.
Seems to have dropped off the charts this year.
Perhaps the region will have to wait a little while longer…