MOTORSPORT – BAHRAIN’S rising motorsport star Shaikh Saif bin Hassan Al Khalifa secured an impressive third-place podium finish over the weekend at the IAME Series UAE season-opener in Ras Al Khaimah.
At just eight years old, Shaikh Saif battled fiercely against a field of more than 30 top regional and European drivers, showcasing determination and skill well beyond his years.
His performance delivered a proud podium result for the kingdom and further underlined his status as one of the youngest karting drivers to make an impact on the regional scene.
Competing in the IAME Series UAE’s U10/Mini class, Shaikh Saif finished third amongst the U10 competitors in their 17-lap final. He posted a fastest lap of 44.797 seconds during the race in which he joined Adam Al Shaikh and Samar Chopra in the U10’s top three.
Reflecting on his debut podium, Shaikh Saif said: “A podium to start the series is a good start. I have been training hard with my team Xcel Motorsport. We will keep training and pushing for more wins. We start again next week.”
Aside from the IAME Series UAE, Shaikh Saif is also set to take part in Al Ain’s UAE Rotax MAX Challenge, which kicks off next week.
Shaikh Saif races with Xcel Motorsport, which competes from the Mini karting categories all the way up to Formula 4 Middle East and Formula 4 European championships.
With his strong debut, Bahrain’s young prodigy has marked himself as one to watch in the region’s competitive karting scene.
IAME Series UAE is a premier kart racing championship in the Emirates. The 2025-26 season runs over 10 rounds, with race events taking place at all main tracks across the UAE, including RAK Track, Dubai Kartdrome, Sharjah Kart Track, Al Forsan, and Yas Marina Circuit.
Rounds two and three will take place on October 18 and 19 at Dubai Kartdrome.
In addition to the 10-round UAE championship, IAME-powered racers also compete in the annual IAME Middle East Cup, IAME Summer Series, and Pre-Season Cup.
The top finishers win an entry to represent the country at the IAME World Final 2026.
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