Rashid Al Dhaheri's biggest dream is to be Formula One's next star.
The Abu Dhabi schoolboy, 15, is well on his way to a successful car-racing career following his 2023 debut for Prema Racing in Imola, Italy, where he finished in the points during the first round of the Italian Formula 4 Championship.
But Rashid's main goal is to inspire young Arabs and show that the UAE can make it in top-flight Formula One racing.
“My ultimate dream is to reach F1 with the help of my country,” he told The National. “I would like to show the West that we are a modern evolving nation which achieves amazing results through hard work and dedication.”
In his striking Huawei and Yas Heat sponsored car, Rashid is on the F4 grid packed with drivers a year or two older than he is, many of whom have years of experience in the series. They include the sons of F1 drivers and others affiliated with F1 teams.
“I'm aware that I'm the youngest driver on the grid, but I fight for each position,” he said.
Rashid said he was willing to make sacrifices to get to the top. “I want to show that everything is possible and inspire young Arabs to set their goals and work hard knowing that they, too, can achieve them,” he said.
He names twice F1 champion Fernando Alonso, who he first met at the Abu Dhabi circuit in 2011, as his favourite driver. He said they have since met several times and the top-flight driver “has always been kind”.
I'm aware that I'm the youngest driver on the grid, but I fight for each position
Rashid Al Dhaheri
The young driver turned 15 on April 8 this year. He started in the sport at the age of six and spent many years competing at the highest levels of karting.
He credits his journey to the generosity of the UAE government, adding that his success would not have been possible without the help from UAE leaders believing in his talent.
“Karting was manageable in terms of finance with the help of some partners, but it's not possible for formula racing to be financed by a private person,” he said. “I am extremely grateful that our leaders trusted in me and gave me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by supporting my formula racing.”
Rashid was only three years old when his parents took him to watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for the first time. It was then, he said, that he discovered his love for the sport.
“From that moment a fire started within me,” he told The National. “I knew what I wanted to do and be. No one in my family had any connection to motorsports.”
His family had no roots in the sport, but supported his dream and allowed him to take part in karting at Al Ain Raceway at the age of four, despite onlookers “laughing at his young age”.
As soon as he stepped into his first kart, the thrill, speed, techniques and atmosphere hooked him.
But it hasn't all been plain sailing, he said, admitting that there were many ups and downs, such as travelling to and from the UAE and China — where his father was often away on business — and being away from his family.
However, that didn't slow him down.
“It just inspired me to work even harder to reach my goal” he said. “In the GCC, we currently host four F1 races. People are very enthusiastic about cars, so it would be great to have our countries represented at the highest level of motorsports.”
After that first experience of karting in 2013, Rashid took a training programme in Italy before returning to Al Ain Raceway for the opening round of the 2013-14 UAE Championship. He finished runner-up in his first race.
Since then, he has achieved great success, becoming a record-holder in the UAE as a five-time Dubai Kartdrome O-Plate champion, Macao International Kart Grand Prix Champion and World Series of Karting champion.
In 2019, he decided to settle in Italy to cut down on the amount of travelling he had to do. His mother and sisters moved from the UAE to join him.
Despite racing at speeds of up to 250 kph on circuits, Rashid is not old enough to drive on public roads in the UAE.
“My mother always makes fun of the fact that someone has to drive me to the circuits, as I'm not old enough to drive,” he said.
When he is not speeding around the track, he is studying for his high school diploma, working on his Arabic and spending time in the gym.
“Honestly, I don't have much free time left as I have almost a full-time racing career,” he said.
This year, he made his F4 debut with Prema racing in Imola, Italy.
His helmet paid homage to his Emirati heritage, and featured the UAE's falcon, the UAE national flag and sporting quotes from President Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
“I like falcons. They are beautiful, sharp and smart,” he said. “Falcons are a symbol of strength and endurance. I enjoy watching them when they spot their prey and attack with speed and precision, just like something I try to do at the track.”
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T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures
Tuesday, October 29
Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE
Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman
Wednesday, October 30
Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one
Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two
Thursday, October 31
Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four
Friday, November 1
Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one
Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two
Saturday, November 2
Third-place playoff, 2.10pm
Final, 7.30pm
Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
FOOTBALL TEST
Team X 1 Team Y 0
Scorers
Red card
Man of the Match
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Company%20profile
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes. Portland is a 260 km drive from Seattle and Emirates offers codeshare flights to Portland with its partner Alaska Airlines.
The car
Hertz (www.hertz.ae) offers compact car rental from about $300 per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
Parks and accommodation
For information on Crater Lake National Park, visit www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm . Because of the altitude, large parts of the park are closed in winter due to snow. While the park’s summer season is May 22-October 31, typically, the full loop of the Rim Drive is only possible from late July until the end of October. Entry costs $25 per car for a day. For accommodation, see www.travelcraterlake.com. For information on Umpqua Hot Springs, see www.fs.usda.gov and https://soakoregon.com/umpqua-hot-springs/. For Bend, see https://www.visitbend.com/.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Sweet%20Tooth
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