With world class circuits and professional race teams now littering most of the UAE, you could be forgiven for thinking that motorsport has been well-established here for some time. But Dubai Autodrome, the Middle East’s first purpose-built race track, only opened in 2004.
So what on earth were things like before that? What was it like before international racing drivers like Shaikh Khalid Al Qassimi, Edward Jones, Mohammad Al Mutawaa, and Khalid Al Qubaisi first pressed their throttle pedals?
I know several people who go back to a time when the Autodrome was still a blank piece of paper, and to help me paint a picture of what things were like I enlisted the services of an old friend (who, incidentally, still owes me 6-hour kart race from 2001 – he forgot the engines).
His name is David Bright. You may know him as the selfie-obsessed Assistant Manager at the Dubai Kartdrome.
I’ve known David since 2000 when he was racing in the United Kingdom, and had hair. He would often speak fondly of this far away land but, truthfully, I never really paid attention. Now though, 15 years later, much has changed and I want to know more about those earlier years. I caught up with him during one of his routine facial and manicure appointments…
MF What is your earliest memory of racing in Dubai?
DB Back in 1990 I was living in Jebel Ali Village. I’d often see my neighbours, the Scott family, and father-son team Dion and Jodi Kooijman prepare go-karts. I remember walking into their garage and having a look around; I was fascinated. After six months of begging him, my dad bought me a used Dino Kart fitted with an old two-stroke engine. I will never forget my first few laps in it!
MF Sounds exciting. What was racing like back then?
DB Back in the nineties karting was a lot more fun and social. It wasn’t like today’s scene with big team trucks, awnings and professional European mechanics being flown in by race teams. We used to go to the [Jebel Ali] circuit with a kart hanging out the back of the car boot, or as my old mate Christophe Hissette did, with the kart on the roof rack of his BMW! Drivers always did the mechanics themselves and the driving spoke for itself - rather than meticulous set-up or which chassis brand you drove.
Dubai Kart Club was a member’s club, run by the members, for the members. Each year all the members would club together and paint tyre walls, build the club house or using each member’s skill set to improve the venue. Some guys would build fences and some would weld containers together to form a club house and kart store.
MF That’s a massive contrast to today. Were there any Emiratis racing or was it mainly an expat clique?
DB Like today really; it was mainly an expat environment. Although we had several local guys including a Shaikh.
MF That’s karting, but what was bigger motorsport like back then? Was it popular?
DB Rallying was always big, even as a kid growing up. I remember meeting [14 times FIA Middle East Rally champion] Mohammad Bin Sulayem in Jebel Ali Village. Back then Jebel Ali Village was the maintenance check-point for rallies. Motocross was also popular.
MF You’ve started racing cars again this year after 13 years away from it; I guess that gives you the right to comment on how much motorsport has changed since the early nineties.
DB When I originally left Dubai in 1999, there was no Autodrome, Kartdrome, or any circuit racing for that matter. So to come back years later to find world class facilities such as Dubai Autodrome and Yas Marina – plus the kart circuits – is just mind blowing. I’ve driven a lot of UK circuits throughout my Formula Ford days, but I really rank Dubai Autodrome amongst the best.
As far as change is concerned, to see so many high-profile categories nowadays is fantastic. There is the NGK touring cars, FG1000 single-seaters, Toyota 86 Challenge, Porsche Cup and the Middle East Radical Cup which I am doing.
The UAE’s huge investment in motorsport infrastructure and rapid progress is clear for all to see.
