ZURICH: The sight of fast, expensive cars racing around the monied streets of Zurich is nothing new; the place oozes cash and, for many, the two go hand in hand.
That was the scene last month when Formula E revved into town as one of the 10 stopping points in its 12-race season. For some the sight of the same electric speed machines on the streets of Riyadh, when the city hosts next season’s opening race in December, will be equally fitting — the Saudi Arabia capital is known as a spot for fast cars and petrolheads.
But for Aseel Al-Hamad the race will be about far more than who simply reaches the chequered flag first. For the first female member of the Saudi Arabian Motorsport Federation, the race could inspire a generation of Saudi women to get behind the wheel.
The all-electric ABB Formula E Championship will make its Middle East debut in Riyadh just six months after the ban on women driving in the country was lifted. Although details are scarce, it is understood that activities involving women drivers will be incorporated into the ground-breaking race on December 15. For Al-Hamad, who also represents her country on the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, that could pave the way for Saudi women not only to drive for the first time, but also to dream big and become professional racers.
“This is beautiful news for me. Our mission at the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission is to encourage the participation of women in all aspects of motorsport; not just racers, but as mechanical engineers, marshals, team managers, photographers and PRs,” Al-Hamad told Arab News.
“We are so lucky that Formula E is happening after the ban was lifted because it’s a great way to push motorsport for women aggressively. “Could we see a Saudi woman racing driver in the future? Definitely.”
That the Formula E circus, rather than Formula One, is storming into the Kingdom just months after the female driving ban was lifted is perhaps apt. Unlike F1, three women have raced in Formula E since its inception in 2014, and in Susie Wolff the sport can boast of having a female team principle. As with Al-Hamad, the former test driver for the Williams F1 team hopes the Riyadh race can do a lot for women throughout Saudi Arabia.
“Encouraging more women to be involved in motorsport is very important to me,” the principle of the Venturi Formula E outfit said.
“(That’s) why I started my initiative ‘Dare to be Different’ — a call to action to inspire the next generation of women to see the opportunities within motorsport, on and off the track.
“The start of the next season will bring lots of attention to the sport and the host city of Riyadh, but I will be firmly focussed on our debut performance at a new circuit and on ensuring the best possible result for the team.”
Motorsport is a tough sport, and on the streets of Zurich it was clear that, at least where Formula E is concerned, it is a highly competitive one as well.
The 10-year deal between the General Sports Authority (GSA) and the city-based spectacle of speed was signed in May and will see the series not only make its Middle East debut, but also unveil its futuristic next-generation car.
The race will be held in the picturesque Old City, Ad-Diriyah, on the outskirts of the capital, and Al-Hamad, who on the same day the female driving ban was lifted drove a Renault Sport F1 car in a parade before the French Grand Prix, insisted that it will accelerate interest in
motorsport across Saudi Arabia and the region.
The Kingdom held its first-ever international motorsport event, the Race of Champions, in February and Al-Hamad said: “The Race of Champions is a big international race and you could see many people who were not familiar with motorsport got introduced to it.
“This is a great opportunity to arouse passion in motorsport in the Middle East. Kids with a passion for this can see they can start training at an early stage and have a career in it.
“We are so happy to host an international race (series) that’s very popular. (Formula E) is the future of motorsport and the automotive industry in general.
“Saudi has the Vision 2030, which is very much supporting the idea of leading the way in innovation in technology and industry, so this race is a great, symbolic initiative.”
Of the venue she added: “It’s a very historic area and it’s going to be a beautiful way to show the combination of new technology, which is Formula E’s super-fast cars, and the old heritage of Riyadh. There are old mud houses and beautiful palaces, so I believe this is going to be great exposure to the heritage and tradition of our beloved country.”
The move to give the green light to Riyadh opening next season’s championship — one which will see former F1 ace Felipe Massa join the grid alongside other famous names such as Nick Heidfeld and Nelson Piquet Jr — has also got the thumbs up from the teams.
“(We are) extremely excited to race in Riyadh this December, particularly at such a pivotal time in Saudi Arabia with the Crown Prince’s Vision 2030 initiative diversifying its economy and nurturing new industries,” Jay Penske, Dragon owner and team principal, and CEO of Penske Autosport, told Arab News in Zurich.
“We are proud that we and Formula E will have the opportunity to participate in Saudi Arabia’s vision for the future.”
James Barclay, Panasonic Jaguar Racing team director, said: “The Middle East has a wealth of passionate and knowledgeable motorsport fans that will welcome the series to the region. The Middle East is a key region for us to promote our electrification message ‘Race to Innovate’ and our electrified vehicles.”
The race in Zurich, the home of title sponsor ABB’s global headquarters, attracted an estimated 150,000 fans and illustrated that the sport, although still very much in the shadow of Formula One, has a popular and growing fanbase and a bright future. The series’ first-ever race took place only four years ago and it is already making loud noises in the motorsport world, with fans speculating whether it will one day get out of the slipstream of its better-known cousin and overtake it.
Alejandro Agag, founder and CEO of Formula E, said he could not wait to get to the Riyadh race and introduce the series to a new destination.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the new cars and format in action against the backdrop of iconic city skylines, starting in Ad-Diriyah in December,” Agag said.
That view was echoed by Michael Isaac, spokesman for ABB, a global technology company and leader in electrification, robotics and motion, said: “As title sponsor of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, we are delighted that the 2019 season will open in Riyadh in December. Saudi Arabia is one of ABB’s most important markets in the Middle East and we are committed to supporting the development with e-mobility and sustainable technologies.”
Saudi Arabian racing star Aseel Al-Hamad backs Formula E Riyadh race to inspire women drivers
Saudi Arabian racing star Aseel Al-Hamad backs Formula E Riyadh race to inspire women drivers
- Formula E set to storm into the Kingdom, with capital to host inaugural race of new season
- Al-Hamad hopes December race inspires women in country to get behind the wheel
Al-Hilal host Al-Orobah at Kingdom Arena
- Both teams head into the match looking to extend their winning streaks — Al-Hilal defeated Al-Raed 5-3, while Al-Orobah overcame Al-Riyadh 4-2
- Two sides have previously faced off five times in the Pro League, Al-Hilal winning four of those encounters, while Al-Orobah claimed one victory
RIYADH: Al-Hilal host Al-Orobah in a first meeting between the two sides at the Kingdom Arena at 7:05pm today, Monday, as part of Round 31 of the Saudi Pro League (Roshn League).
Both teams head into the match looking to extend their winning streaks — Al-Hilal defeated Al-Raed 5-3, while Al-Orobah overcame Al-Riyadh 4-2 in the previous round.
The two sides have previously faced off five times in the Pro League, with no matches ending in a draw. Al-Hilal won four of those encounters, while Al-Orobah claimed one victory.
In their most recent clash, which took place at Al-Jouf University Stadium in Round 13 of the first half of the season, Al-Hilal recorded their largest-ever win over Al-Orobah, scoring five goals.
Interim Al-Hilal coach Mohammed Al-Shalhoub aims to secure all three points and maintain pressure on league leaders Al-Ittihad, who currently sit six points ahead. He is expected to rely on the same lineup that faced Al-Raed, with the return of Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo.
On the other side, Al-Orobah’s Spanish coach Antonio Cazorla hopes to win and move away from the relegation zone, counting on key players including Syrian striker Omar Al-Somah, Spaniard Cristian Tello, and Jordanian defender Muhannad Abu Taha.
Al-Hilal currently sit second in the league table with 65 points, while Al-Orobah is in 16th place with 30 points.
And at 9:00pm Al-Okhdood’s football team will be aiming for their first-ever victory over Al-Nassr at Prince Hathloul bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Najran.
The two teams have met three times in the Pro League, with Al-Nassr winning all three matches. Al-Okhdood is now seeking their first victory against the Yellow team in the top flight.
Al-Okhdood currently sit in 17th place — second from bottom — with 28 points, and is fighting to avoid relegation. The team will be missing one of its key players, Brazilian midfielder Petros Matheus, due to injury.
On the other hand, Al-Nassr is in fourth place in the league table with 60 points and is looking to bounce back from a 3-2 home defeat to Al-Ittihad in the previous round.
It’s worth noting that the first-leg match between the two sides ended in a 3-1 victory for Al-Nassr, with Sadio Mane scoring twice and Cristiano Ronaldo adding a goal, while Saviour Godwin scored Al-Okhdood’s goal.
Crown prince congratulates Al-Ahli on historic Asian Elite Champions League win
- Praises Al-Ahli for exceptional performance, professionalism
- Victory vital to boost Saudi’s growing stature in global sports
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Al-Ahli on Monday for winning the 2025 Asian Elite Champions League.
At a reception here, the crown prince met with Sport Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Arabian Football Federation President Yasser Al-Misehal, Al-Ahli Club Chairman Dr. Khaled Al-Issa Al-Ghamdi, and several of the club’s staff and players.
The crown prince congratulated the team on their historic victory and praised them for their exceptional performance and professionalism.
He stressed the importance of hard work to elevate Saudi Arabia’s profile in the global sports arena.
Al-Ahli’s continental success marks a major milestone in the club’s history and comes amid Saudi Arabia’s continued investment in sports and culture as a part of Vision 2030.
‘More than I imagined’: Saudi’s Ahmed Makki, Malik Basahel bask in impressive PFL MENA wins at home
- Mohsen Mohammadseifi advances to lightweight semifinals with unanimous decision in Jeddah
- Taha Bendaoud secures featherweight semifinal spot with submission win over Boualem Drissi
JEDDAH: The second season of PFL MENA got off to an exciting start at the weekend with wins for local favorites, and fighters in the featherweight and lightweight divisions advancing to the playoffs.
In the main event at the Onyx Arena, 2024 PFL lightweight champion Mohsen Mohammadseifi of Iran beat Egypt’s Ahmed El-Sisy by unanimous decision to advance to the semifinals.
Mohammadseifi leaned on his striking in the early rounds before shifting gears and showcasing his grappling in the final frame to seal the victory.
In the co-main event, PFL MENA newcomer Salah Eddine Hamli of Morocco clinched a spot in the lightweight semifinals with a slick third-round submission victory over Bahrain’s Abbas Khan.
Taha Bendaoud of Morocco needed just over two minutes to put away Boualem Drissi of Algeria by submission and secure his spot in the featherweight semifinals.
Malik Basahel of Saudi Arabia made a statement in his professional debut, scoring a second-round TKO win over Algeria’s Mountasser Boutouta in a showcase flyweight bout.
Basahel said: “I felt good in there during the fight, I trained hard and well for this fight with my team down at AVT Leeds, so I came in prepared and ready.
“There’s not much difference from amateur and pro, just probably the rules set and the extra two minutes in the round but a fight is still just a fight at the end of the day.”
He added: “I’m always going in a fight knowing I’m going to win, even if the first round is not going my way.
“I’m always confident I can turn the fight around if I have to, but for this fight I would say halfway through the first round I figured out the distance and what he wanted to do and managed to overcome that and get the win.”
Displaying sharp, well-rounded striking, Basahel picked Boutouta apart with punches, knees and kicks. He sealed the deal in the second round with a perfectly timed knee, followed by a flurry of ground-and-pound to force the stoppage.
A commanding performance from bell to bell earned Egypt’s Assem Ghanem a spot in the featherweight semifinals, as he smothered Hussein Salem of Iraq over three rounds to secure a unanimous decision victory.
Islam Reda of Egypt punched his way into the featherweight semifinals with a crushing third-round TKO win over Algeria’s Akram Nasri. There was no stopping Reda after getting into full mount in the final round, as he unloaded a barrage of punches to get the win.
Mohammad Fahmi of Iraq also secured a spot in the lightweight semifinals with a dominant performance, submitting Georges Eid of Lebanon via Anaconda Choke at the 3:12 mark in the first round.
In the final fight of his MMA career, Ahmed Makki of Saudi Arabia went out with a bang, as he notched a third-round Heel-Hook submission win over Hasham Elnamer of Egypt in a showcase lightweight bout.
“It was more than I imagined,” Makki said. “To go out there and perform the way I did, in front of such an incredible crowd, meant everything to me.
“I wanted my last fight to be a statement, not just for myself, but for everyone who’s supported me throughout the years. I’m proud that I was able to end my career on a high note.”
“Retirement doesn’t mean stepping away from the sport completely,” he added.
“I’m excited to focus on mentoring young talent, possibly coaching, and working on projects that help grow MMA in the region, especially here in Saudi Arabia.
“I’m also diving deeper into social media to connect with fans and share more behind-the-scenes content, as well as doing fight analysis and commentary. It’s a new chapter but still rooted in the sport I love.”
Souhil Tairi of Algeria also advanced to the lightweight semifinals with a spectacular second-round TKO over Kuwait’s Abdullah Saleem. A devastating knee to the body spelled the beginning of the end for Saleem, as Tairi followed up with vicious strikes on the ground to score the win.
Eman Almudhaf of Kuwait remained undefeated in her MMA career with a win over Shamara Braga of Brazil in a showcase women’s featherweight bout. Almudhaf bucked a slow opening round and put the pressure on Braga in the second and third rounds to earn a split decision victory.
In the opening bout of the night, Abdulaziz Al-Moammar of Saudi Arabia beat Fares Hamdani of Algeria in an amateur showcase bout. Al-Moammar was the more aggressive fighter throughout the three-round contest, using his grappling to control the pace en route to a unanimous decision win.
The featherweight tournament’s co-main event between Jordan’s Izzeddine Al-Derbani and Yanis Ghemmouri of Algeria was canceled after Al-Derbani was deemed unable to compete due to medical reasons.
Mbappe shows fallen Real Madrid new road to riches
- Much of Real Madrid’s season has been a balancing act and they finally fell completely off the rails on Sunday as Barcelona sped away from them on the way toward reclaiming the Spanish title
BARCELONA: Much of Real Madrid’s season has been a balancing act and they finally fell completely off the rails on Sunday as Barcelona sped away from them on the way toward reclaiming the Spanish title.
Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick but the Catalans came from two-goals down to win 4-3 and the margin of victory might have been larger still, were it not for some contentious refereeing calls in the final stages in Madrid’s favor.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti understood early on this season that fitting last summer’s marquee arrival Mbappe and established stars Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes in the same side was going to be difficult while keeping the team stable.
After losing just twice across all competitions on the way to winning La Liga and the Champions League in 2024, this year Madrid have suffered 14 defeats — four of those against Barca — and will end up without a major trophy.
Defeat by Barcelona at the Olympic stadium on Sunday leaves them seven points behind the Catalans with three matches left to play.
That the Clasico was close at all came down to Mbappe, whose treble took him above Robert Lewandowski to lead Spain’s scoring charts with 27 league goals.
“Mbappe was the only resistance,” wrote newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
“Madrid faced the Clasico with one tank and 10 tin soldiers, and Barca knocked them all down.”
Mbappe’s goals also made him the club’s top goalscorer in a first season at Madrid with 39, beating Ivan Zamorano’s record of 37 set in 1993.
“The team’s flagship figure is Mbappe,” wrote AS, noting that although he has not been at his personal peak this season, he has still been one of the club’s best players, and “among the ‘fantastic four’, undoubtedly the standout.”
Madrid conceded 16 goals in their four Clasico defeats by Barcelona this season, scoring seven, with Mbappe netting five of those goals.
The French forward scored in every final Madrid played in, netting in European Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup triumphs, as well as in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup defeats.
By contrast, Vinicius and Bellingham did not score in any of the four games against Barcelona.
“The changing of the guard is real,” added AS. “Heading into next season the roadmap is clear: Mbappe and 24 others.”
Mbappe failed to deliver in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid and then Arsenal as Madrid were eliminated in the quarter-finals, but his hat-trick against Manchester City was the kind of display Los Blancos expected from him.
With the team built around him and a sturdier defense and midfield, Mbappe can take Madrid to the silverware they demand.
“He did well,” said Ancelotti of Mbappe, pleased with the way the forward got in behind Barcelona’s high line, but upset at his team’s woeful defending.
“It was quite obvious that we defended badly,” said the Italian bluntly.
Ancelotti is set to depart at the end of the season to be replaced by Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, who will inherit the puzzle of how to use Madrid’s attacking stars effectively.
With Vinicius and Rodrygo struggling for form for months and Bellingham’s first season heroics long since faded, it is evident that Mbappe will spearhead Madrid’s next project.
Zverev says out-of-form Djokovic can become dangerous again
- “There’s no question about his ability at all,” said Zverev, who advanced to this year’s Australian Open final after Djokovic retired injured midway through their clash
Novak Djokovic’s tennis prowess is beyond question despite a sharp dip in form during the European claycourt swing and the veteran Serb can return to his devastating best again if he wants to, world number two Alexander Zverev has said.
Djokovic turns 38 three days before the French Open, which begins on May 25, and the 24-times Grand Slam winner’s preparations have been far from ideal, with opening losses at Masters tournaments in Monte Carlo and Madrid last month.
After skipping the ongoing Italian Open without giving a reason, Djokovic will make one final attempt to rediscover his rhythm at next week’s Geneva Open after accepting a wild card and Zverev warned against writing off his friend completely.
“Maybe he didn’t play up to his standard or his liking, but who does sometimes? If you’re a top guy and you’re not winning the tournament, you always go home a little bit upset,” Zverev told reporters in Rome on Sunday.
“I believe once he finds his game, he’s still one of the most dangerous players in the world.”
World number six Djokovic, who is chasing his 100th tour-level title, has struggled to assert his dominance after winning three out of the four Grand Slams in 2023.
However, he stepped up his game at the Paris Olympics last year to win gold, outclassing four-times major champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final at Roland Garros.
“There’s no question about his ability at all,” said Zverev, who advanced to this year’s Australian Open final after Djokovic retired injured midway through their clash.
“It’s more whether he still wants to put in the work. That’s a question to him. His tennis ability is above everyone else’s.”
Second seed Zverev, who beat Lithuanian qualifier Vilius Gaubas 6-4 6-0 in Rome on Sunday, meets Frenchman Arthur Fils next in the third round.
