Back on (race)Track

Jan 23, 2025

Racing is encoded in my DNA. I inherited this passion for motorsports from my father at a young age, and many of my fondest memories are of the weekends we used to spend at karting tracks. They were basically just a paved areas with walls of tires that marked the inner and outer edges. Racing was simple back then.

(From left to right: Fahad, Abu Fahad.) Around 2002?

This picture above was taken at the old Seef track. After countless laps, obsessing over how to gain fractions of seconds at each corner, we’d reward ourselves with a good meal at Burger Land: Mango juice and an extra thick chicken shawarma (with thin bread). A memory that defined my childhood.

The dream, of course, was to someday compete at highest level in the sport. To become a Formula 1 driver. Turns out I wasn’t good enough, but am fortunate to have had a lovely journey.

My first win in the GT3 Cup Challenge, at 16 years old. (From left to right: Pr. Abdulaziz Alfaisal, Fahad, Bandar Alesayi.) 2009/2010.

In 2019, thanks to the huge support of the Ministry of Sports and the Saudi Motorsports Federation, I got the opportunity to race in a unique international championship called Jaguar i-Pace eTrophy. Covid kicked in during that season and made for some unexpected surprises.

Continuing with the Saudi Racing team, I returned to the GT3 Cup Challenge, winning the championship. This felt like reaching the summit, and an incredible note on which to begin to closing this chapter.

(From left to right: Fahad, Abu Fahad.) 2022. After winning a race in Dubai.

It’s difficult to express how much I love the sport … how it challenges me and helps me grow … how, when I apply myself to this singular objective of driving as fast as possible - with every cell in my body, racing at the absolute limit feels like a form of spiritual transcendence.

Gradually, I began reaching a point where racing felt like something I had to do, as opposed to something I wanted to do. For example, time spent at the racetrack felt like a missed opportunity to be freediving. I vividly remember racing in Jeddah, a track right by the sea, and staring out into the distance day-dreaming of diving into the sea between sessions. I started to become annoyed by the things I took for granted; the loud noises, constant flow of fumes, and long periods of time we spend just sitting in the car - anticipating the start of a session. Not to mention the media obligations. Racing wasn’t simple anymore.

It got to the point where I didn’t think I’d race anymore. I had opportunities that I would’ve dreamed of a kid, but I just didn’t end up taking them because they didn’t excite me. My obsession with freediving undoubtedly played a huge role here, as it became the singular obsession over the last few years.

All of a sudden, in a way that’s difficult to describe, I found myself eager to try racing a motorbike. I had just come off a long and grueling freediving depth season, and was open to giving myself some room to explore this spur of the moment calling.

(From left to right: Fahad, Hasan Alawadhi)

It all happened so fast. I got a bike, and within about 4 days I rode 1003km to break-in the engine. I was also extremely fortunate to reconnect with Hasan, one of the most talented riders in the region, who played a huge role in helping me find my way in this new world of two wheels. My first experience back on the track was a coaching session with him, and it felt like such a thrill to be doing something so new and yet so familiar.

I suck at doing things “just for fun”, no matter how hard I try to mislead myself. Just when I thought I was finally ready to say goodbye to the world of competitive motorsports, I’m back on track. First race is coming up on February 7, and I’m super excited.