Al Dhaheri: Standing on my home podium a fantastic start to 2025

In his latest newsletter, 16-year-old Al Dhaheri reports on the latest leg of his travels, During whih he became the first Arab driver to secure a podium in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship (FRMEC) impressing with his speed in a new car for him and the subsequent resilience he showed in the opening rounds of the 2025 season, held at the Yas Marina Circuit venue of the Formula 1 season-finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. AKA Rashid's hometown.

Competing in the very competitive Formula Regional category, which serves as a key stepping stone toward Formula 3, Al Dhaheri impressed from the outset. After two strong seasons in Formula 4, he made the transition to the more powerful Formula Regional machinery, which features a Tatuus F3 T-318 chassis equipped with a 1.8-litre turbocharged Renault engine producing 270 horsepower.

The opening FRMEC round took place on 17-19 January, with 26 drivers from 15 different nationalities vying for early-season success. Al Dhaheri quickly established himself as a contender, qualifying in P3 for Race 1 and P5 for Race 2.

In the first race, he delivered a composed and confident drive to claim P2, marking his first podium in the championship. Al Dhaheri reflected: "First race weekend of the year, first race in the Formula Regional and standing on the podium at home, in front of my family - a great motivation and fantastic start to the year."

However, Race 2 presented a tougher challenge due to the reverse grid format. Starting from P9, he battled hard but finished in the same position. The final race of the weekend saw Rashid make a strong start before contact from another car damaged his rear left tyre, forcing him into the pits. He ultimately finished P17, but his podium performance in Race 1 proved he was capable of fighting at the front.

Al Dhaheri returned to action for Round 2 at Yas Marina on January 21-23, once again delivering an impressive performance across the weekend. He secured P3 in both qualifying sessions and capitalised on his strong starting position in Race 1, finishing P2 and claiming his second podium in as many rounds.

Race 2, which saw another reverse grid format, began with him in P9. Despite the challenge, he produced a determined drive, making several key overtakes to finish in P5. In the final race, he initially looked set for another strong result but struggled with rear tyre degradation, slipping back to P9 by the chequered flag.

Summing up his performance, Al Dhaheri said: "Jumping on the podium again, making another P2 and also winning the Rookie Victory trophy is a great highlight of this weekend. The amended circuit configuration was demanding, but we did quite well in quickly adjusting to it. We worked a lot on fine-tuning the setup, and I thank my team for their hard work."

Following the opening two rounds, Al Dhaheri's strong results have solidified his position as one of the top rookies in the championship. With upcoming races at Dubai Autodrome (February 7-9) and Yas Marina (February 13-16) before concluding in Qatar at Lusail International Circuit (February 25-27), the Emirati racer will look to build on his early momentum.

Beyond FRMEC, Al Dhaheri is set to embark on his first full campaign in the Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA) starting in April.

The transition from Formula 4 to Formula Regional requires significant physical and technical adaptation, given the increased G-forces and downforce levels. Al Dhaheri’s strong fitness preparation has been evident in his ability to compete at the front against more experienced rivals.

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Al Dhaheri to see how he continues to develop in the ultra-competitive Formula Regional category, with ambitions of climbing the ranks toward Formula 3 and beyond.