Emirati drifter Khalifa Al Falasi gears up for global stage

At just 17 years old, Emirati drifter Khalifa Al Falasi is preparing to represent the UAE at the FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup this October — a milestone that marks both his young career and the growing presence of Emiratis in global motorsport.

Khalifa’s journey began in his childhood, when he would attend drifting events with his father. “Since I was about five years old, I used to watch racing drivers compete and I always wanted to be like them,” he recalls. His real opportunity came in 2022, when he joined Prodrift Academy, learning the basics of the sport at only 14.

His first official competition was at the Emirates Drift Championship in January 2023, a challenging debut that happened in the rain. “It was my first time, and drifting in the rain is something we don’t usually face in the UAE. But I enjoyed it and wanted to keep going,” he said.

Since then, Khalifa has competed across the region in Oman, Qatar and the UAE, while also taking part in international championships, including the Red Bull Car Park Drift. Among his proudest achievements was finishing as the highest-ranked Emirati in the Emirates Drift Championship, held at Yas Marina Circuit.

Khalifa currently competes with a powerful Nissan Silvia S13 fitted with an LS3 V8 turbo engine, producing over 700 horsepower. “It’s a car built only for the track, meeting FIA technical and safety specifications, and it’s one of the strongest I’ve driven,” he explained.

Now, he is looking forward to the biggest challenge of his career — the FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup, where the world’s top drivers from 42 countries will compete. “I’m excited and proud to be the first Emirati and the youngest driver in this competition. It’s a new chapter and I want to raise the UAE flag high,” he said.

Khalifa is also grateful for the support he has received. He credits his father for guiding him, as well as the UAE government and the Emirates Motorsports Organization for encouraging the young generation to practice these sports, which require a lot of effort, training, knowledge, skill and dedication.

He also expresses his grateful to the UAE government for providing facilities, training tracks, and opportunities for young talent to experience top level sport competitions. “The government has really helped us by building world-class tracks and supporting motorsports through competitions and sponsorships. I also thank the UAE’s Talent & sports support development programme “UAETSS” by the Ministry of Sports for giving me the chance to grow in this sport,” he added.

Looking ahead, Khalifa’s short-term goal is to perform strongly in Riga, Latvia, where the competition will be held from October 2 to 5. His ultimate dream, however, is to dominate the international drifting scene and inspire a new generation of Emirati racing drivers.

He says that success in these globally distinguished sports remains a remarkable achievement and a success in the record of any Emirati person, as it takes them from the local to the global level and gives them the opportunity to raise the UAE's profile on the international stage.

“My message to the youth is that you can start young. There are racing academies where you can learn from as early as 13 years old. It’s a great way to develop your skills and get the opportunity to represent your country,” he said.

For Khalifa, drifting is more than just a sport - it is a passion, a way to honour his country, and a chance to place the UAE firmly on the global motorsport map.