Emirati teen Rashid Al Dhaheri back racing at Yas Marina Circuit as part of Abu Dhabi F1 weekend

Al Dhaheri leads revamped Formula Trophy Championship by 12 points

Rashid Al Dhaheri after posting a win and two second-places in the opening round of the Formula Trophy series in Dubai. Photo: Supplied

Live updates: Follow the latest on the 2024 Abu Dhabi F1

Emirati teenager Rashid Al Dhaheri returns to his home track in Abu Dhabi this weekend looking to consolidate his lead at the top of the Formula Trophy series.

The second round of the revamped Formula Trophy Championship will form part of the weekend's action at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix, the final race of motorsport's premier series.

Al Dhaheri, 16, posted a win and two second-place finishes in his Prema Mumbai Falcons team car in the opening round of the Formula Trophy in Dubai to head into the championship and heads to Yas Marina Circuit looking to extend his advantage over his rivals.

“It is amazing to be back in the UAE, racing in front of my home crowd,” Al Dhaheri said ahead of Friday’s qualification followed by races on Saturday and Sunday.

“After another successful year of competing around Europe in the Italian F4 and Euro F4 series, it is a very special feeling to be driving my Prema car in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

“I will only be doing the first two rounds of the event championship, as I am moving up from F4 to Formula Regional and have to prepare for next year’s season, but I still want to win as many races as possible.”

In previous years, the Formula Trophy was a stand-alone event at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend ahead of the Formula 4 UAE Championship.

For 2024, this has been expanded into a three-round Trophy Series which will lead into the newly designated F4 Middle East 2025 Championship kicking off in January.

“It is nice to have a 12-points lead in the Formula Trophy Championship after the first three races, even if I won’t be able to complete all three events,” Al Dhaheri added.

“My focus has to be on my move up to Formula Regional which will present new challenges and opportunities. It is great that I will continue with Prema Racing, the team I have been with from the day I moved from karting into single-seater racing, and we are all looking forward to Formula Regional.”

The 2025 season will be the fifth of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (Freca), the only FIA-certified series officially bridging Formula 4 and Formula 3 on the FIA global pathway.