Daredevil rally driver’s Dubai video goes viral

The 9-minute video, called Ken Block’s Gymkhana Eight: Ultimate Exotic Playground; Dubai, sees high speed turns, drifts and screeching donuts through the city’s streets.

Ken Block skids and drifts his way through the desert, Sheikh Zayed Road, The Palm Jumeirah and around the Burj Khalifa in his 650bhp RX3 Fiesta. Courtesy Ford Performance

A nine-minute video of rally driver Ken Block performing high-speed turns, drifts and doughnuts through Dubai's streets has become a huge hit online. It takes viewers on a tour of the city in the only way Block knows how.

DUBAI// A video of daredevil rally driver Ken Block racing and performing spectacular stunts around some of the emirate’s most famous landmarks has racked up more than 3.4 million views online.

The nine-minute video, called Ken Block’s Gymkhana Eight: Ultimate Exotic Playground; Dubai, features high-speed turns, drifts and screeching doughnuts through the city’s streets.

“Awesome! It’s always rad to see your support and responses whenever we release one of these videos,” said Block on his Facebook page.

“So, thank you to everyone who continues to watch and share these videos, you’re a major part in making them possible.

“My team and I [and many others behind the scenes such as the production company, agents, etc] put a ton of hard work into making a Gymkhana video every year – and it’s amazing to have the success that we have had with these projects.”

The video takes viewers on a tour of the city in the only way Block knows how.

It begins with a golden sunrise over sand dunes and Block walking past a couple of camels, which are oblivious to what is about to unfold.

We are then introduced to his car a souped-up Ford Fiesta RX3, which boasts 650 horsepower and can do 0 to 60 in 1.8 seconds.

After posing with a falcon, Block has to shoo a cheetah out of the front passenger seat and we are finally on our way.

The car is seen ploughing through sand mounds that have drifted on to a road before it races towards the Dubai skyline.

His car comes to an intersection where 11 of Dubai Police’s finest supercars have formed a square.

Block goes into the square and we see tyres screeching and smoke as he does some doughnuts around a small bollard.

A police car reverses out to allow him to leave the square and he makes his way to Sheikh Zayed Road, where a pick-up is driving on two wheels.

Seeing his opportunity, Block positions his car near the other vehicle and does several doughnuts around the other vehicle.

After driving off, he comes to a set of traffic lights where four super cars have lined up.

Taking his place, engines rev and growl and, as the signal turns green, Block powers ahead in the impromptu drag race, leaving a Bugatti Veron chasing his shadow.

The action then switches to Burj Park and with the fountain on display in the background we see some more high-speed doughnuts with some going close to an empty seated area.

The tour does not stop there – and we see more doughnuts around the fountain of a five-star hotel.

The journey then takes us to The Palm, where the driver spins and slides his way around a couple of roundabouts before going towards Skydive Dubai and a close call with a low-flying ­aircraft.

The stakes are raised higher for the grand finale, where Block power slides and drifts around and under a Boeing 747 that is taxiing along a runway.

The video concludes with the star of the show clambering on to the side of a helicopter before doing a backflip into the water.

“Gymkhana Eight is an example of what we can achieve with the right teamwork, detailed planning and great support,” said Javad Khoramifar, marketing director of XDubai.

“To have Ken Block, one of the best drifters, film his wildly popular annual Gymkhana series in Dubai, was the combined vision of both himself and XDubai.

“As a city, we all came together and this would not have been possible without the support of all entities involved.

“I’d like to thank every single person for their support and commitment towards the project.”