As the chill begins to set at the end of the year in Europe - snow covering the steep climbs of Eau Rouge, clouds settling over the straights of Nürburgring - there’s a steady rise in the shriek of engines echoing from the deserts of the Middle East. Before you know it, pitlanes go green for racing, not in the heart of Europe, but across the modern deserts of the Gulf.
The closer we get to the conclusion of the racing season as we know it, the more I’m reminded of a conversation I had with a friend and motorsport commentator, Jake Sanson, as we stood above the Formula 4 and Formula Regional pits overlooking the back straight at the incredible Yas Marina Circuit:
“There’s a real impetus for the autosport associations to get more racing in their home countries and bring it to the same level as Europe. I don’t think we’re far away from it. There’s a real thirst to do this. Even though this is only a seasonal area for motorsport, once it gets to March or April it gets too hot for the tyres. But I do think this will continue to grow. Year after year, this could become a second motorsport season.”
Jake was spot on.
There’s a certain continuity one can sense in the motorsport world - with only a 2-3 week gap separating the end of one season and the beginning of another. And that continuity isn’t accidental. It sits atop Mount Capital - or, in other words, Mount Money - that few could have imagined decades ago. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, Qatar’s Investment Authority, and other Gulf sovereign wealth entities are among the largest in the world, collectively managing more than $5 trillion in assets. Much of that investment is channelled into leisure and infrastructure projects that serve national diversification goals. These are active investments that fundamentally change how sport is scheduled, financed, and imagined. They make the idea of a year-round motorsport environment complete with circuits, logistics hubs, academies, and hospitality zones, not just possible, but sustainable, even if run for only 4 months a year.
Why motorsport? The answer isn’t complicated. Just look at the economic structure of the Middle East. A region that has long relied on oil reserves now needs another form of diversification and it needs it fast. Motorsport is capital-intensive, technologically advanced, and built around spectacle - all qualities that align neatly with the Gulf’s ambitions. The appetite for sport isn’t theoretical either. Estimates suggest the UAE and Saudi Arabia have already invested over $65 billion into transforming the region into a global sports hub. Analysts project that figure could multiply several times by 2030, with motorsport identified as one of the most scalable entertainment exports.
There are also softer incentives at play like tax benefits and lifestyle appeal. Many countries in the region have low to no personal income tax and the weather from October to March offers some of the most pleasant months of the year, coupled with living standards comparable to the West. Add to that a network of free zones catering to luxury, real estate, and professional services, and the result is a streamlined business environment that supports year-round activity. For teams, sponsors, and hospitality partners, the region’s economic climate and convenience make it an ideal base.
On the ground, these incentives translate into tangible revenues. The geographical and economical advantages provides long daylight hours and mild conditions that allow for uninterrupted operations - hours that teams take advantage of to sell extra track time, and promoters leverage to extend the season with less border friction. What began as ad hoc winter programs has evolved into structured operations with local technical partnerships, regional championships, and driver academies that run through the European off-season.
Perhaps the biggest selling point for most drivers who choose to race in winter championships is that racing itself is the best form of testing. A competitive environment to prepare for the so-called “bigger” championships in Europe offers the best possible head start for any serious driver - it’s the same reason you see the likes of Le Mans winners return to GT cars, F1 juniors compete in F4 or Formula Regional series, and 6-7 year-old karters pick their winter championships early. That shift is beginning to change the sport’s competitive rhythm. Teams that once budgeted for a single European season now allocate resources for extended winter programs in the Gulf.
There are, of course, risks. Large-scale projects require alignment on funding and political fronts. Critics also raise concerns around governance and image management that accompany such rapid sports expansion in a region often accused of “sportwashing.” Yet the scale of construction is undeniable: circuits, academies, and event calendars are multiplying across the Gulf, underwritten by institutions whose balance sheets allow them to move faster than most Western or Eastern promoters can plan.
What was once a winter lull is now a second heartbeat. The Middle East has become a legitimate competitive training ground - a place where teams begin their racing season before continuing their European leg, sharper and more refined. Where there was once silence, there’s now a steady hum of continuity: engines turning over, mechanics at work, and a sport learning to live in two seasons at once.
