Abu Dhabi: Nothing stirs the senses quite like driving a fast car around a racetrack, and in Abu Dhabi that privilege is not confined to elite drivers such as Lewis Hamilton.

For the home of November’s Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit, has become an emerging breeding ground for the UAE’s budding motorsport talent.

Central to this is the TRD 86 Cup, a competition launched last year, in which competitors do battle over six race weekends in their very own Toyota GT86 car.

Registrations are open for the 2015 event, which takes place between October and April, and Gulf News spoke to one of the leading lights of 2014.

Ahmad Al Melaihi finished second in the debut season of the competition, which offers cash prizes, and is a passionate proponent of its benefits.

The 29-year-old said: “To me, the TRD 86 Cup is the first step on the road to professional motor racing. It’s an entry-level car, so offers an ideal platform on which to learn.

Driver skill

“The TRD 86 Cup is a single-make series, meaning all of the cars are identical and cannot be modified to go faster, so advantage comes down to driver skill.”

The mechanical engineering graduate, who revelled in the “first-class facilities” at Yas Marina, harbours hopes of competing internationally after proving himself locally.He said: “The TRD 86 Cup was an excellent grounding in fundamentals and, because the competition from the other drivers on the grid was so strong, it really focuses the mind and develops your skills. Mistakes made in earlier races were learnt and I applied that hard-won experience in the later rounds to my advantage.

“My goal is to be a successful driver and my ambition is to race in the Middle East’s Porsche GT3 Cup and help the growth of motorsport here in the UAE.”

Motorsport remains a highly expensive pursuit, however, with would-be TRD 86 Cup driving having to part with Dh177,000 to participate. Although that hefty sum includes the car, private tuition or licence assessment and discounts on offers at the circuit.

Al Melaihi insists it is a perfectly reasonable and profitable outlay, urging his fellow Emirati petrolheads to consider signing up.

He said: “I would like to tell them that this is your real chance to get into motorsport. Yas Marina Circuit provides everything you need to get started, and the TRD 86 Cup car is an excellent vehicle to learn on. It’s very simple and very safe — two key factors.

Expensive pursuit

“As for the expense, motorsport can be quite expensive without sponsors, but entry-class series can be less expensive than owning a super car, which you won’t be able to drive to its limits on the road.”

The Dubai-born racer, who cites the 1998 and 1999 F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen as his hero. continued: “In my opinion, spending money on an entry-level race championship is better than modifying or buying a fast car for street-racing — something which I am completely against and hate to do. Street-racing will only prove that you have a fast car, but won’t prove that you are a fast driver.

“Joining a race series like the TRD 86 Cup can make you a better driver that allows development in a safe environment without the risk to life of street-racing.”

Several years ago, the former Chief Executive Officer of Yas Marina Circuit, Richard Cregan, insisted an Emirati Formula One world champion could emerge by 2020.

It was an outlandish boast, given the intensely competitive nature of F1 and the UAE’s lack of a track record in the sport.

But if others emulate Al Melaihi’s passion and drive, in tandem with Yas Marina Circuit’s staunch commitment to motorsport, then who knows what is possible?

*For more information on season two of the TRD 86 Cup, visit www.yasmarinacircuit.com.