Two teenage brothers who share a driving ambition to rise to the top in motorsport are rapidly making names for themselves at Dubai Kartdome.
Over the past season Abdullah and Sanad al Rawahi have established themselves as keen competitors in the region's toughest karting series, winning titles along the way.
The brothers made the long trip from Oman to the UAE for each race in the 2010/11 Dubai Autodrome Motorsport Club (DAMC) Karting Championship and it has proved a worthwhile journey.
Fourteen-year-old Abdullah al Rawahi is the 2010/11 DAMC Junior Max Champion, a title previously won by the likes of Piers Pakenham-Walsh, who moved to Dubai from the UK in 2007, and Dubai-born Edward Jones - two highly rated young drivers.
And although Sanad, 16, did not win the 2010/11 DAMC Senior Max title he was the Courtyard by Marriott Karting Young Driver of the Year as he came of age during the season to establish himself as a force in local karting
Abdullah's championship title came about through a combination of speed, consistency and hard work.
He summed up his season as: "Very good and very challenging."
And he said of the outgoing champion: "Piers Pakenham-Walsh was my toughest rival this year."
There was, however, little to separate the two during the course of the season. They dominated the class from race one and were responsible for some of the closest racing all season. "I am very happy to win the championship title this year," Abdullah said.
"I really worked hard all season and stayed focused all the way till the end. I am delighted to have managed a seat at the biggest karting event in the world [the Rotax Max Grand Finals] that will take place this November at Al Ain Raceway.
"I will take a break to focus on my studies. After my exams, I will gear up for the Under 18 World Championship and the Grand Finals."
Meanwhile, Sanad's duels with eventual champion Maurits Knopjes in the UAE's premier karting class were memorable. The elder brother acknowledges that the Dubai-based Dutchman was his toughest rival and that the season was a steep learning curve.
"It was a very difficult season for me as I was racing with much more experienced drivers," Sanad said.
"But that made me work even harder. I learnt a lot and I want to learn more.
"I am looking forward to the Under 18 World Championship and also the European races.
"Hopefully, I will get a chance to take part in the Al Ain Grand Finals. I am proud of my achievements so far, but we have a long way to go."
The young Omani ended his season at the Kartdrome in fine fashion by winning the heat, pre-final and final, delivering a mature performance on his way to scoring triple victories on the day.
It is probably no surprise that the brothers have made an impressive impact on local karting.
The pair have been racing since they were eight and 10, respectively, and have enjoyed the support of their father, Suleiman, and the rest of their family.
They both can boast some of the best turned out karts in the series and despite a limited budget the duo exude professionalism.
Many of the current crop of Formula One drivers started their careers as young kart drivers and this development path could give the al Rawahi brothers an edge in climbing the motorsport ladder.
And with the right financial backing, they could themselves be stars of the future.
* Compiled by The National staff with agency
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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