Abu Dhabi: The UAE's top motorsport official is pleased with the manner in which the sport has achieved its goal of self-sufficiency in organising high-profile events in the country.
"My challenge continues in trying to achieve self-sufficiency. I want everything to be ‘Made in the UAE'," Mohammad Bin Sulayem, FIA vice-president, told Gulf News. "When we brought in 350 marshals and allied staff from the UK and Bahrain to oversee the first edition of the race here two years, I took it upon myself to ensure we go in for self-sufficiency. And today, we can proudly say that we have achieved this goal.
"This move of having our own officials to organise and conduct a race of this stature gives the race a UAE identity.
"And it is our intention to continue in this mode so that our event here keeps on getting more and more successful on the world championship with this identity surrounding it.
The race falling at the end of the season has advantages and disadvantages, Bin Sulayem said.
"The title may be already settled like we have it this season or it can be wide open like we had last year," he said.
