You are here

Abu Dhabi to host 2024 FIM World Supercross Championship season finale

Abu Dhabi to host 2024 FIM World Supercross Championship season finale
2024 FIM World Supercross Championship season finale will take place in Abu Dhabi. (Supplied)
Short Url

https://arab.news/gnqfj

Updated 20 June 2024
ARAB NEWS 
Follow

Abu Dhabi to host 2024 FIM World Supercross Championship season finale

Abu Dhabi to host 2024 FIM World Supercross Championship season finale
  • Two motorsport world championships will be decided within a week with the World Supercross Championship and Formula 1 heading to Yas Island in December
Updated 20 June 2024
ARAB NEWS 
Follow

DUBAI: SX Global, the official promoters of the FIM World Supercross Championship, have announced that the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi will host the final race of the series’ upcoming 2024 season.

After a highly successful pilot season in 2022, WSX built on its foundations by expanding into new markets in 2023 — a campaign which saw German motorcycle superstar Ken Roczen claim a second WSX World Championship title, while Britain’s Max Anstie etched his name on the SX2 World Championship crown.

“After the success of last year’s event, we’re delighted to be heading back to Abu Dhabi and the Etihad Arena in 2024,” Andy Edwards, SX global executive chairman, said. “This time around, the incredible venue will host the deciding round of the championship, and that spectacle is sure to have fans out of their seats with the action at full throttle until the very last lap.”

Abu Dhabi first hosted WSX last season in a competition which saw Roczen, Joey Savatgy, Dean Wilson, and Vince Friese go head-to-head. With this year’s event taking place just four days before the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the 2024 finale is set to attract an international audience once more.

As well as confirming Abu Dhabi as the location for this season’s climax, FIM WSX also revealed its full provisional schedule for the year ahead. The campaign will start on Oct. 26 at the BC Place stadium in Vancouver, Canada, before heading to Perth, Australia, on Nov. 23-24 for a double-header at HBF Park.

After the WSX Australian Grand Prix, the series will then head to Abu Dhabi where the world champion will be crowned on Dec. 4.

Ali Al-Beshr, motorsport development executive director at organizers Ethara, said: “We are thrilled to announce the return of the World Supercross Championship Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi for the second consecutive year. With the event taking place during the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race week, motorsport fans can enjoy back-to-back thrilling action, with the chance to experience two world championship finals in one week.”

Topics: Motorsport

Related

Motorsport’s first United Against Online Abuse campaign garners support
Sport
Motorsport’s first United Against Online Abuse campaign garners support
FIA president praises growth of motorsport industry in Oman
Motorsport
FIA president praises growth of motorsport industry in Oman

After Verstappen victory, F1 finale in Abu Dhabi brings auto racing season to a close

After Verstappen victory, F1 finale in Abu Dhabi brings auto racing season to a close
Updated 04 December 2024
AP
Follow

After Verstappen victory, F1 finale in Abu Dhabi brings auto racing season to a close

After Verstappen victory, F1 finale in Abu Dhabi brings auto racing season to a close
Updated 04 December 2024
AP

ABU DHABI: Heading into the season finale, Verstappen has won 53 of 89 races in his championship seasons, or 59.6 percent. Verstappen can match Michael Schumacher’s record of five straight F1 season titles (2000-04) by winning again next year. Verstappen joined Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton (2017-20), Sebastian Vettel (2010-13) and Juan Manuel Fangio (1954-57) as drivers with four straight championships. Esteban Ocon, 14th in the point standings, has been released by Alpine and Jack Doohan will replace him in the season finale, making his F1 debut.

The race will take place on the Yas Marina Circuit and is 58 laps long. 

Last year, Max Verstappen won from the pole position, his seventh consecutive victory to end his third consecutive series championship season.

Verstappen, already crowned the season champion for the fourth straight year, won in Qatar for his second victory in three races and ninth of the season.

Topics: F1 Max Verstappen Abu Dhabi

Related

Djokovic to begin bid for 25th Grand Slam crown in Brisbane
Sport
Djokovic to begin bid for 25th Grand Slam crown in Brisbane
Man Utd not yet out of Premier League title race, says Arteta
Sport
Man Utd not yet out of Premier League title race, says Arteta

Dania Akeel makes history as FIA Middle East Baja Cup 2024 champion

Dania Akeel makes history as FIA Middle East Baja Cup 2024 champion
Updated 04 December 2024
Arab News
Follow

Dania Akeel makes history as FIA Middle East Baja Cup 2024 champion

Dania Akeel makes history as FIA Middle East Baja Cup 2024 champion
  • Commanding performance in final round at Dubai International Baja
Updated 04 December 2024
Arab News

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabian driver Dania Akeel secured a sensational victory in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup to secure the overall title at last weekend’s three-day Dubai International Baja.

Akeel tackled the four rounds of the prestigious regional Baja series with two different co-drivers and three car preparation companies to amass enough points to win the overall championship and also secure success in the flagship Ultimate category.

Akeel recorded consistent performances at each of the four rounds in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and Dubai and finished on the FIA Middle East Baja Cup podium at each event.

The Jeddah-based driver secured points with an Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux at the opening two Bajas and even led the Qatar event outright after day one.

She then switched to the SSV category for the final two rounds to record  a valuable finish in the Aqaba-based Jordan Baja with a Santag Racing Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR and then a sensational victory at the final round in Dubai with the South Racing Can-Am Team. The success marked a first by a female driver in the history of Middle East motorsport, as Akeel continues to break boundaries and create new benchmarks for women in motorsport.

Akeel said: “The FIA Middle East Baja Cup developed into a very exciting season. Initially, I did not plan to do the whole championship. I took part in the Hail Baja as part of the Saudi Championship and I registered for the FIA Middle East Baja Cup to see how the points would look.

“We had a good result in Hail and then we had the opportunity to race with a Toyota and the Overdrive team in the Ultimate category at the Qatar Baja,” she added. “After that event, we saw that we had taken the lead in the Ultimate class in the Middle East Cup and were in second place in the overall classification.

“With this position, I decided to do the Jordan Baja, because there was only a seven-point gap between myself and the leader of the overall. He was racing in the SSV class and I decided to race in the same class because we needed to close the gap with the leader. After that event, we finished in first place in the Middle East SSV class and we closed the gap to the leader to just two points before the final event in Dubai.

“After racing in SSV, we raced in the SSV class again and we won in Dubai to secure the overall title. It was an exciting championship and it had a lot of elements to consider. It wasn’t just about the team and logistics but we had to think how we could gain the maximum points to win the overall title. I am also very happy that we secured the Ultimate class title but our bigger goal was the overall title.

Akeel credited her success to her dedicated co-drivers Stephane Duple and Sebastien Delaunay and the support of teams such as Overdrive, South Racing, and SRT Racing.

She also acknowledged the backing of her sponsors, including Jameel Motorsport, Tamer Group, Hertz Saudi Arabia, Toyota Motor Oil, BFGoodrich Tires, Accelerom, and Red Bull Saudi Arabia.

She now switches her attention to Jeddah Rally Toyota, the final round of the Saudi Toyota Rally Championship, which takes place on Dec. 19-21.

Topics: FIA Middle East Baja Cup Dania Akeel Dubai International Baja

Related

Saudi female driver Dania Akeel, Stephane Duple stun rivals to lead Qatar International Baja
Sport
Saudi female driver Dania Akeel, Stephane Duple stun rivals to lead Qatar International Baja
Dania Akeel leads Rally Jameel
Motorsport
Dania Akeel leads Rally Jameel

F1 surges in popularity in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East new data reveals

F1 surges in popularity in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East new data reveals
Updated 03 December 2024
Arab News
Follow

F1 surges in popularity in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East new data reveals

F1 surges in popularity in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East new data reveals
  • 11 percent rise in female interest and 10 percent uptick among male fans in the Kingdom
  • Globally, F1’s fanbase has grown by 5.7 percent since 2021
Updated 03 December 2024
Arab News

LONDON: Formula 1 has experienced a surge in popularity, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East, according to a new study released on Tuesday by Nielsen Sports.

With a global fanbase now exceeding 750 million, the sport has gained 50 million fans since 2021, fueled by rising interest in the Middle East region as well as among young female fans, the report showed.

The study revealed Saudi Arabia as one of the sport’s fastest-growing markets, with an 11 percent increase in fans compared to the 2023 season.

The surge in popularity also spans demographics, with an 11 percent rise in female interest and a 10 percent uptick among male fans. Among older Saudi audiences, enthusiasm has soared, with 22 percent more fans aged 50-69 following the championship than in the previous season.

The UAE also saw a significant boost, with fan interest rising by 6 percent. Together, these countries solidify the Middle East as a critical growth region for Formula 1 in 2024, the Nielsen report concluded.

Globally, F1’s fanbase has grown by 5.7 percent since 2021, with women now making up 41 percent of all fans. Young women aged 16-24 represented the fastest-growing demographic, reflecting the sport’s evolving accessibility and appeal.

Jon Stainer, global general manager at Nielsen Sports, attributed this success to Formula 1’s innovative fan engagement strategies.

“Formula 1 is a perfect example of a rights owner innovating its relationship with fans,” he said.

“Growth of interest, especially among women and newer markets like Saudi Arabia, can be attributed largely to a shift in how the teams and drivers are profiled today, and the access they are affording global audiences.

“New sponsorship categories are opening up. We’re seeing a significant shift in the brands engaging in the sport, attracted to this changing fan demographic,” he added.

Netflix’s acclaimed docuseries, “Drive to Survive,” has played a pivotal role, with 35 percent of viewers of the show expressing intent to watch more races. Another quarter of surveyed fans credited the series with their newfound passion for the sport.

F1’s commercial prospects have also increased, with sponsorship deals seeing a 56 percent rise in value since 2019.

The average sponsorship deal now stands at $5.08 million, up from $2.87 million from pre-pandemic levels. The diversification of sponsors — which range from luxury brands such as LVMH to IT giants such as HP and Dropbox — has cemented the championship’s status as a commercial powerhouse, the Nielsen report said.

While the Middle East leads the charge of new fans, the series continues to thrive in traditional strongholds, especially in Europe. Interest in the UK rose by 2.3 percent, while Germany saw a 4.5 percent uptick.

Topics: Motorsport Formula One Formula 1 F1 Saudi Arabia

Related

Max Verstappen wins Qatar GP, F1 teams title race goes on after Lando Norris penalty
Sport
Max Verstappen wins Qatar GP, F1 teams title race goes on after Lando Norris penalty
Norris hands Piastri the win in Qatar sprint as McLaren closes in on the F1 constructors’ title
Sport
Norris hands Piastri the win in Qatar sprint as McLaren closes in on the F1 constructors’ title

FIA president denies personally ordering recent firings of 3 F1 race stewards

FIA president denies personally ordering recent firings of 3 F1 race stewards
Updated 02 December 2024
AP
Follow

FIA president denies personally ordering recent firings of 3 F1 race stewards

FIA president denies personally ordering recent firings of 3 F1 race stewards
  • Mohammed Ben Sulayem was emphatic in that he did not order any dismissals and added the FIA has no responsibility to discuss pending personnel changes with teams and drivers
  • George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, said all the turnover can be destabilizing to F1
Updated 02 December 2024
AP

NEW YORK: The president of Formula 1’s governing body denied ordering a recent wave of staff dismissals — including the removal of the race director with three events remaining in the season — amidst mounting criticism from drivers over a lack of transparency by the FIA.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday by telephone during the Qatar Grand Prix and insisted he had not personally ordered the recent dismissals of three race stewards.

“How many times have people who have lost their jobs or positions in companies, when they left, they attacked and blamed?” Ben Sulayem said. “We have nearly 300 (stewards) working for us, so what do I do? I have two choices: I empower the heads of the departments, sit with them and then judge them at the end of the year.”

Niels Wittich, who had been race director since 2022, was surprisingly let go ahead of last week’s race in Las Vegas. The drivers were stunned that the top rule-enforcer during F1 events would be removed with only three races remaining in the season.

Then there were two more dismissals ahead of this weekend’s race in Qatar as race steward Tim Mayer said he was fired by text message, and the FIA said Janette Tan, who was elevated to race director for Formula 2, had left the organization. Tan had just been promoted to the position to replace Rui Marques, who was elevated into Wittich’s position.

The drivers have complained about a lack of consistency from the race stewards for much of the season and have been vocal in their displeasure on a sudden crackdown on cursing. So when they arrived in Qatar to learn two more stewards had been fired, they were perplexed.

George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, said all the turnover can be destabilizing to F1.

“That’s very challenging for any team and it must be super challenging for everyone within the FIA right now,” Russell said earlier this week. “So we’d love to get a little bit of clarity and understanding of what’s going on and who’s getting fired next.”

Speaking to reporters in Qatar earlier Sunday, Ben Sulayem seemed defiant in saying it was “none of their business” how he runs things. He was emphatic in that he did not order any dismissals and added the FIA has no responsibility to discuss pending personnel changes with teams and drivers.

“Do the teams and drivers come and tell us when they are making changes? No,” he said.

Earlier this month, the GPDA created an Instagram account solely to publish a statement that urged the FIA to treat drivers like adults. It also asked for Ben Sulayem to consider “his own tone and language” following efforts during his tenure to enforce rules against swearing and jewelry more strictly.

“Just when we’ve asked for a bit of transparency and consistency we’re getting rid of two highly important people in the governing body, so it’s kind of gone in a full 360,” Russell said. “We still don’t have any reasoning for Niels’ removal.”

Ben Sulayem did not give specific reasons for any of the departures, and insisted the “single-seater divisions” made the decisions to replace stewards.

He also said the stewards are tasked with enforcing the rulebook, which was not written by Ben Sulayem. He inherited the rulebook and asked for an enforcement on some things that were being overlooked — such as the cursing, which is prohibited in the code of conduct.

“I did not write the rules and I do not implement them. The rules were before me, some of the rules from 1972,” Ben Sulayem said. “We are setting a clean sport here. We are not saying to them ‘the rule is do not (curse) anytime.’ We are just saying ‘don’t do it when you are at an FIA (news conference).’ We have young people, the age of 5, watching. And even on TV or movies, they always tell you in advance what you will see and that is what this sport has — discipline and respect.”

Topics: FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix

Related

Max Verstappen wins Qatar GP, F1 teams title race goes on after Lando Norris penalty
Sport
Max Verstappen wins Qatar GP, F1 teams title race goes on after Lando Norris penalty
F1 champion Max Verstappen takes pole for Qatar Grand Prix
Sport
F1 champion Max Verstappen takes pole for Qatar Grand Prix

Max Verstappen wins Qatar GP, F1 teams title race goes on after Lando Norris penalty

Max Verstappen wins Qatar GP, F1 teams title race goes on after Lando Norris penalty
Updated 01 December 2024
AFP
Follow

Max Verstappen wins Qatar GP, F1 teams title race goes on after Lando Norris penalty

Max Verstappen wins Qatar GP, F1 teams title race goes on after Lando Norris penalty
  • That result meant McLaren, even with Oscar Piastri finishing third, were unable to clinch a first constructors title since 1998
Updated 01 December 2024
AFP

DOHA: Max Verstappen avenged his overnight demotion from pole position by clinching his ninth win of the season and 63rd of his career with a dominant triumph for Red Bull in Sunday’s crash-hit and controversial Qatar Grand Prix.
In a race shaped by a litany of stewards’ decisions and penalties, including a harsh late 10-second ‘stop-go’ for Lando Norris of McLaren, the newly-crowned four-time world champion was flawless as he came home six seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
That result meant McLaren, even with Oscar Piastri finishing third, were unable to clinch a first constructors title since 1998 and have to try again in the final race in Abu Dhabi next weekend.
George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes, despite being handed a late time penalty, ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari, two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and Zhou Guanyu of Sauber, who scored his and the team’s first points of the season.
Kevin Magnussen was ninth for Haas and Norris, after a ferocious finale following his penalty, was 10th for McLaren.
Verstappen’s success was not enough to keep alive Red Bull’s challenge for the teams’ title which left McLaren top with 640, 21 points clear of Ferrari with one race to go.
“I am very happy with that,” said Verstappen, who has recovered his form in the last three races. “It’s been a long time since we had victory in the dry and it’s great for the team to be so competitive again.”
Leclerc said he was happy with second and forecast a “very tight” finish in the championship next weekend. “But 21 points is still a big margin,” he added.
The Dutchman’s overnight loss of pole, for driving too slowly and causing Russell to take evasive action, had gifted the Mercedes’ driver his career fifth pole and second in succession.
Fired up by that stewards’ decision, Verstappen made an excellent start to power by Russell and lead into Turn One with Norris squeezing through to take second before the opening lap was red-flagged for a Safety Car.
A crash involving Nico Hulkenberg, who lost the rear of his Haas and spun into Ocon’s Alpine, the pair taking the innocent Franco Colapinto with them in his Williams, caused the pause. It was the luckless Williams team’s 16th crash of the season.
Racing resumed on lap five with the top three unchanged ahead of Leclerc and Piastri, who swiftly jumped back to fourth, a move that kept both McLarens ahead of the two Ferraris.
For McLaren, it was going to plan, a description not claimed by Hamilton. After a false start, he was eighth with a five-second penalty.
His Mercedes team-mate Russell also suffered misfortunes, pitting after 24 laps in a slow seven seconds — due to a recalcitrant right rear wheel — and dropping from third to rejoin 12th on hards.
Russell’s problems lifted Piastri to third, 8.7 behind Norris, the two McLarens sitting ahead of Leclerc and Sainz, in fourth and fifth, with Verstappen on top before an errant mirror, from Magnussen’s Haas car, fell on the main straight, bringing double waved yellows.
Valtteri Bottas ran over the mirror on the lap 34, sending debris across the circuit. Hamilton and Sainz collected punctures and pitted before a belated Safety Car was deployed as Piastri and then the rest came in.
Leclerc profited by moving up to third, ahead of Piastri, who stopped before the SC interval, while Hamilton fell to 16th and Russell, angry after taking another set of hards, was seventh. “Why have we put hards on?” he screamed.

Topics: Motorsport Formula One Formula 1 F1 Qatar Qatar Grand Prix Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen

Related

F1 champion Max Verstappen takes pole for Qatar Grand Prix
Sport
F1 champion Max Verstappen takes pole for Qatar Grand Prix
Norris hands Piastri the win in Qatar sprint as McLaren closes in on the F1 constructors’ title
Sport
Norris hands Piastri the win in Qatar sprint as McLaren closes in on the F1 constructors’ title

Latest updates

Under pressure, UK’s Starmer sets out plans to deliver on election pledges
Under pressure, UK’s Starmer sets out plans to deliver on election pledges
North Korea, Russia defense treaty comes into force
North Korea, Russia defense treaty comes into force
Corner kings Arsenal beat Man Utd to close gap on Liverpool
Corner kings Arsenal beat Man Utd to close gap on Liverpool
Mbappe pays penalty as Bilbao beat Real Madrid
Mbappe pays penalty as Bilbao beat Real Madrid
Eyeing Trump, Los Angeles adopts ‘sanctuary city’ rules
Eyeing Trump, Los Angeles adopts ‘sanctuary city’ rules

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2024 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.