Emirati teen racer Rashid Al-Dhaheri claims F4 podium at 70th Macau Grand Prix

MACAU: Fifteen-year-old Emirati driver Rashid Al-Dhaheri overcame a challenging weekend to finish third in the 2023 Macau Formula 4 race at the Guia Circuit.

The 70th Macau Grand Prix was weather-affected and turned the F4 race — on a track that is tricky even in dry conditions — into one of high attrition.

Driving for the Prema race team with backing from Yas Heat, Al-Dhaheri was the sole representative of the Middle East and Africa in a mixed grid of 23 drivers coming from Formula Regional, F1 Academy, F4 Italia, as well as F4 SEA.

His podium finish vindicated the challenging but rewarding path the young UAE driver has taken to train at the highest level in F4 Italia with Prema, enabling him to develop key skills and shine in high-profile races such as the Macau Grand Prix.

Coached by Prema Racing at the track he has never driven on, Al-Dhaheri ticked all the boxes according to his team.

A report on the team website said: “The 15-year-old Emirati mastered the tough weather conditions of the qualifying race on Sunday morning, and improved to P3 for the final race, even contending for second place on the high-speed Macanese street circuit.

“Despite the proximity of walls and barriers, the high speeds, the narrow roads of Macau, and the fierce competition, Al-Dhaheri maximized the performance without making a single mistake.”

On the teenager’s rookie season in F4, the Prema report added: “He completed an outstanding rookie season in perfect fashion, delivering his best result of the year by improving steadily and becoming a top-level contender for the coveted event.”

The annual trip to Macau for the famed Formula 3 race, is a well-trodden path with great racing names including Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher