Abu Dhabi: Khalid Al Qubaisi found a place in the motor racing history books last year as the first UAE driver to celebrate overall victory in the Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai.
Twelve months later, the odds were stacked against Al Qubaisi when he set out to repeat the feat as a member of the Team Abu Dhabi Black Falcons, particularly when their car was seriously damaged in practice for the event.
It took a massive effort to turn around the team’s fortunes in the face of intensive competition from a host of powerful challengers, including the Saudi Falcons.
All the drama surrounding this epic endurance race is captured in the TV documentary “The Battle of the Falcons”, an exclusive preview of which was screened for an invited audience recently at the Yas Marina Circuit Media Centre.
The documentary is set to be broadcast by Abu Dhabi Sports Channel on a date to be scheduled shortly, along with the German channel Motorvision HD, while team sponsors Abu Dhabi Racing are receiving interest from several other overseas broadcasters.
“There is so much that goes into preparing a team for the Dunlop 24 Hours of Dubai, and so many factors can decide the outcome,” said Al Qubaisi, a board member of Abu Dhabi Racing.
“The documentary goes behind the scenes to capture all the tension and excitement, and it will be enjoyed by all motor racing lovers.”
Established last year, Abu Dhabi Racing, whose chairman is Shaikh Khalid Al Qassimi, is working on a number of initiatives designed to bolster the emirate’s presence in global motorsport.
Al Qassimi was instrumental in securing a five-year partnership with multiple World Rally Championship-winning manufacturers, Citroën, to create the new Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team and Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team, both competing in the 2013 WRC season.
He is contesting nine WRC events this season, as well as spearheading a five-car challenge by Abu Dhabi Racing in this year’s FIA Middle East Rally Championship.
The primary objective for Abu Dhabi Racing is to increase Emirati participation in various global motorsport series, including off-road and circuit-based disciplines.
