Today's Edition
Abu Dhabi (Aletihad)
Emirati racing prodigy Rashid Al Dhaheri delivered an impressive performance this weekend at the famous Hungaroring circuit in Budapest, securing a second-place finish and grabbing 30 valuable championship points across two races over the weekend in the Formula Regional Championship.
Al Dhaheri missed out on the podium in the first race, but there was no denying him in the latter half of the day in the fourth round of the series, where points are awarded just like in Formula 1 – 25 points to the winner, 18 for second, 15 to the third place.
Al Dhaheri collected 12 points for finishing fourth in Race 1 at the Hungarian capital on Saturday. With a double-digit double haul only behind the top two drivers in the overall standings, Al Dhaheri has now vaulted into seventh spot behind Matteo de Palo and Freddie Slater.
Located just outside Budapest, the Hungaroring is renowned for its tight, technical layout and rich history in Formula racing. It demands precision, endurance and a perfectly balanced car setup.
For Al Dhaheri, it was his first appearance at the historic venue – but the young driver wasted no time getting up to speed, having advanced his league and stepped out of the rookie ranks this season. From the opening test session on Thursday, he was immediately competitive, showing his adaptability and quick learning on unfamiliar terrain.
Throughout the collective test days on Thursday and Friday, Rashid and his Prema Racing team worked meticulously on refining the car’s setup. Their collaborative efforts focused on achieving optimal balance and performance for the challenging race weekend ahead – and the pace quickly began to reflect their preparation.
On Saturday, Al Dhaheri qualified P3 in the first session and followed it up with a composed drive in Race 1 to finish a solid P4. The extreme summer heat presented an additional layer of difficulty.
Yet, Al Dhaheri raised his game on Sunday, delivering a clean and confident drive in Race 2 and boosting the team’s total in the constructors’ championship.
“What a weekend in Hungary,” Al Dhaheri said. “I’m heading home with great points and strong momentum for the season. Huge thanks to my team for their incredible work and to everyone who continues to support me.”
The next round will take place in two weeks at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France.
