Yas Island is the place to be for motoring fans throughout the region as it plays host to the FIM World Supercross Championships for the very first time
A little dirt never hurt anyone, or so the saying goes.
And this will be put to the test in early November when Etihad Arena welcomes 20 of the most skilful supercross dirt bike riders for the FIM World Supercross Championship Abu Dhabi Grand Prix across a two-day extravaganza over the 4 November 2023.
Bringing all their mud, sweat and tears to the capital, this event is one for the thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies in the region and is the first of its kind in the Middle East, adding to the spectacular line-up of sporting attractions already synonymous with Yas Island.
The hosting of the event is seen as another major coup for Abu Dhabi which, along with the upcoming F1 weekend, will see residents and tourists alike indulge in a motoring masterclass while also living life in the fast lane in the coming weeks.
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Bikers from all over the world will be taking part in what is the most coveted championship of all on the supercross calendar and one of them, Venezuelan Anthony Rodriguez, told us what it meant to him to be coming to Abu Dhabi to compete next month.
“It really is an honour to come to the Middle East for the first time and compete with all the other guys. I have never been here before, but I am blown away by the immense architecture and the facilities and amenities on Yas Island as well,” says the 450CC man.
“We want to bring supercross racing all over the world. We have raced in England already this year; we are also going to Melbourne for the final race of the year. But hopefully we can expand these championships even further in the coming years.”
British native, Max Anstie, who drives in the 250CC category, also praised the Abu Dhabi authorities for putting together such an exciting programme for the weekend.
“It’s really exciting to be here; we are really looking to grow the brand across the world, and Abu Dhabi is one of the best locations to do this.”
The 29-year-old driver from Newbury also said he was looking forward to the event for extra special reasons as he is searching for his first world championships and hopes his performance in Abu Dhabi will put him in pole position.
“I am currently second in the championships, so I am hoping for a good showing in Abu Dhabi to put me in contention for the final race in Australia.”
For the uninitiated, Supercross is a mixture of high-flying stunts and non-stop tyre-to-tyre racing and as SX Global’s CEO Adam Bailey explains, he believes it is a more interesting spectacle than its other counterparts in motor sport.
“Nobody leaves the events disappointed. From qualifying to the exhibitions and to the races themselves everybody enjoys every minute of it,” explained the Australian native.
“Because the races are far shorter than the likes of F1 and the fact that they are also decorated with aerial bike acrobatics it is an ideal day out for all the family and especially for kids who have shorter attention spans,” adds the former professional biker.
Indeed, the kids also take centre stage at the event with some local younger drivers joining an exhibition race over the weekend.
“I was surprised to learn of the great driving culture in Abu Dhabi and it is great to see the children involved as well. I got my first dirt bike at the age of 11 and fell in love with it, so we are hoping that the drivers who come here to compete will be a source of inspiration for further generations,” he concludes.
It is also gearing up to be a fantastic spectacle over the weekend. If you are heading along to the Etihad Arena on 4-5 November, we hope you have an awesome time…..after the dust settles of course!
For more information on tickets for this year’s WSX Abu Dhabi GP, please visit etihadarena.ae
Date
4 November
Location
Etihad Arena
For further information about sporting events throughout Abu Dhabi, visit Yalla Abu Dhabi Life
Image source provided
