DUBAI: Young drivers aiming to boost their motorsport careers in Abu Dhabi this week were told on Tuesday that the way they handle sponsors and media can make or break their hopes of reaching the top.
The 13 candidates competing at Yas Marina Circuit for a place at the 2015 FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy were given the alert by Tom Onslow-Cole, one of the panel of experts conducting sessions at the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia qualifying event.
Organized by the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), the event will select one of the ten young drivers worldwide who will earn a place in next year’s fully funded Academy program to develop young talent and promote safety in motor sport.
According to Onslow-Cole, a professional racing driver now competing in the British GT Championship, ATCAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the FIA Vice President, is an ideal role model for the young hopefuls.
“Mohammed is a brilliant example to young drivers trying to create a career in motorsport,” said Onslow-Cole a professional racing driver now competing in the British GT Championship. “His attention and focus on his off track duties were definitely a strength in his career.
“The level of awareness of the importance of nurturing both sponsorship and mediavaries from driver to driver, but there is always something more they can learn. This is an integral part of the sport and one that can make or break any career.
“It’s often the case that a driver will work tirelessly to secure a dream sponsor, but then lose focus on the deliverables of the deal once the racing gets underway.”
Sulayem, who captured 14 FIA Middle East titles during a record-breaking rally driving career, was as accomplished in the way he handled sponsors and media as he was in winning events and championships.
Onslow-Cole is instructing the young drivers on how to develop sponsorship so that it not only continues year on year, but grows, as well as on becoming media friendly and on career planning and strategy.
“In my experience, planning is usually the missing link,” he says. “Drivers don’t always know where they are heading. If you don’t know where or what you’re aiming for, then it’s difficult to know what you’ll need to do and be to get there.”
Among those battling to win the one Academy place available in Abu Dhabi this week are: UAE’s Mansour Al Helei, Kuwait’s Ali Makhseed, Oman’s Anas Al Raeesi and Lebanon’s Patrick Njeim. The other drivers are from Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Georgia.
On the final day of the qualifying event tomorrow (Wednesday), ATCUAE Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sean Petherbridge will deliver a presentation on the FIA Institute’s ‘Race True’ Anti-Doping campaign.
Later, a judging panel consisting of the FIA Institute’s Kate Robson, ATCUAE Motorsport Director Ronan Morgan and Onslow-Cole, will interview each of the drivers.
The top five selected based on overall performance during the week will then tackle a timed lap of the Yas Marina Circuit prior to the winner being announced.
'Sponsor, media skills can make or break career in motorsport'
'Sponsor, media skills can make or break career in motorsport'
Sunderland earn 1-0 win over Newcastle thanks to Woltemade own goal
- Woltemade scores own goal to give Sunderland win
- Sunderland remain unbeaten at home this season
SUNDERLAND: Sunderland secured a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United thanks to Nick Woltemade’s unfortunate own goal on Sunday which settled the derby in dramatic fashion as the fierce North-East rivals met in the Premier League for the first time in nearly a decade.
Woltemade’s header a minute into the second half proved decisive as fans who marked their calendars after Sunderland’s promotion were treated to an entertaining game that lived up to its billing as one of English football’s fiercest clashes.
Woltemade’s mistake marked just the second Premier League own goal in the Wear-Tyne derby, extending Sunderland’s unbeaten run against their rivals to 10 Premier League games.
Sunderland remain unbeaten at home this season and the win lifted Regis Le Bris’s side to seventh on 26 points, two points off the top four. Newcastle slipped to 12th on 22.
“Derbies are here to win, it doesn’t matter how. I know how painful it was ... losing here,” Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka told Sky Sports, referring to their 3-0 defeat by Newcastle in the FA Cup third round in January 2024.
“They (the fans) motivate us, because of this, much more than before. This team deserves much more than this respect because where we are is amazing. We work very hard and deserve to be where we are.”
FRANTIC FIRST HALF
A lively but scrappy first half failed to produce shots of note, though neither team shirked from physical challenges during 45 frantic minutes.
The half was marred by an injury to Newcastle defender Dan Burn, who took a knee to the chest from Sunderland’s Nordi Mukiele while sliding in for a clearance.
The towering Englishman returned to the field after treatment but signalled to come off less than five minutes later, clearly in pain. The club later said Burn had been taken to hospital.
With barely any goalmouth action in the first half, Sunderland broke the deadlock a minute into the second when Woltemade attempted to clear a cross into the box but headed the ball into his own net as the Stadium of Light erupted.
SUNDERLAND ENERGIZED
The goal energized Sunderland and they pressed high as Newcastle were pegged back into their own box under sustained pressure, desperately making clearances to catch their breath.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe had seen enough and made a triple substitution around the hour mark to bring on Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock but Sunderland continued to pile on the pressure.
Sunderland’s top scorer Wilson Isidor, also introduced in the second half, gave the home side their first shot on target when he chested down a long ball and acrobatically fired an effort that was palmed away by Aaron Ramsdale.
Sunderland fans gave Woltemade a standing ovation when the Newcastle striker was substituted but soon after they had a heart-in-mouth moment when his replacement Yoane Wissa nearly got on the end of a deflected cross.
Tempers flared in added time when Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs bravely went up to catch the ball and fell heavily on his back when Willock attempted to challenge him, causing both teams to square up as the referee produced four yellow cards.
But when the final whistle blew, it was Sunderland who sealed all three points in their first Premier League meeting with Newcastle since 2016.
“I don’t think it was our finest game. I think the endeavour and the effort was there, but the quality was missing today,” Howe said.
“A game of really few chances for both teams. It was decided on a bit of a freak goal from our perspective that we didn’t defend well enough.”
