Mohammed Ben Sulayem: Difference between revisions
Added some more information about Bin Sulayem's personal life and achievements |
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==Education== |
==Education== |
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Sulayem |
Sulayem studied at the [[American University]]in [[Washington D.C.]], and at the [[University of Ulster]] in the UK where he majored in business. |
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==Post-rallying== |
==Post-rallying== |
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Revision as of 10:28, 7 May 2013
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  UAE |
| Born | 1961 |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 1988, 1990, 1991 – 1995 |
| Teams | Ford, Toyota |
| Championships | 14 |
| Rally wins | 61 |
| First rally | 1984 Acropolis Rally |
| First win | – |
| Last rally | 2003 |
Mohammed Ahmed bin Sulayem or Mohammed ben Sulayem (born 1961) is the Arab world’s leading motor sport figure and an influential official within the sport’s world governing body, the FIA. A successful organiser and record-breaking former international rally driver, he is a role model to young people across the Middle East.
In a rallying career spanning three decades, he became the most successful Arab driver in motor sport history with 14 FIA Middle East Championship titles, and established himself as a sporting ambassador for the region.
In 2008, he became the first Arab named as Vice President of the FIA, and the first to be elected to the FIA World Motor Sport Council. In his FIA role he has pioneered teaching, research and knowledge transfer initiatives in motor sport.
As President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE since 2006, he has built the organisation into one of the world’s leading national motor sport and motoring authorities, with acknowledged expertise in associated training, research and education.
Born in Dubai, he is one of the most celebrated sporting figures to emerge from the United Arab Emirates. He is recognised for presenting a modern and progressive image of the Arab world to a global audience, and by promoting good causes, public service and education.
Education
Sulayem studied at the American Universityin Washington D.C., and at the University of Ulster in the UK where he majored in business.
Post-rallying
Mohammed Ben Sulayem is the President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the United Arab Emirates (ATCUAE), FIA Vice-President for Sport, and Chairman of the Institute for Sport Research UAE.
Sulayem has been appointed by the FIA and FIM as the official representative to oversee all motorsports events in the UAE. He is also Chairman of the Organising Committee for the ppAbu Dhabi Desert Challenge ``, formerly the UAE Desert Challenge, a rally raid race that he founded in 1991. The event has since become the first round of the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup.
He is a founding member of the Arab Council of Touring and Automobile Clubs, which aims to unite the FIA Clubs of Arabic-speaking territories.
In 2008 he was appointed Vice President of the FIA and a member of the World Motor Sport Council. The FIA is the global sporting authority for motorsport and represents 100 million car owners in almost 200 countries.
Apart from motor sport, Mr. Ben Sulayem is actively involved with social causes lending his name to fund-raising events and endorsing brands where the proceeds are forwarded to pre-selected foundations and institutes. Despite his passion for motor sport, Mr. Ben Sulayem is very conscious of the dangers of speeding and has been in the forefront championing the cause of road safety not just in the region but worldwide.
Ben Sulayem is a keen advocate of education and the creation of knowledge in sport. In 2010 in conjunction with the University of Ulster he established the Institute of Sports Research which allows people working in motorsport and other sports to pursue post graduate degrees by research. Currently the Institute has a number of candidates for both Masters and PhD degrees mainly in the broad of motorsport management. He is also co-editor of Sports Management in the Middle East the first academic book to be published on the subject where Ben Sulayem also wrote the chapter on Governance and Ethics in sport.
In recognition of his contribution to the sport and for serving as a role model for Arab youth, Mr Ben Sulayem was declared the UAE’s Sportsman of the Century by the respected international news agency, Agence France-Presse in 1991.
Interests
As the owner of Ben Sulayem Performance, he and his team have been noted for creating super-high performance modifications to a variety of sports and luxury cars. In 2005, he received press in motorsports' circles for having a Mercedes SLK 55 AMG modified to accept a Modified SLR engine, providing the car with over 740 hp and 1200 Nm (885 ft·lb) of torque. The modified SLK has a higher top speed (350 km/h estimated) than the production SLR due to differences in weight and was noted for a video depicting it out-performing an unmodified Enzo Ferrari.
On April 9, 2009 while demonstrating a Renault R28 F1 car – in a drag race against 2008 GP2 Asia Series champion Romain Grosjean, who was driving a Ford GT – at an exhibition at the Dubai Autodrome, Sulayem lost control of the vehicle under acceleration and crashed into the pit wall, causing extensive damage to the car. He was uninjured in the incident.[1] He is featured in Colin McRae: Dirt 2 and a cameo appearance in Dirt 3.
Major rally wins and championships
- Middle East Rally Championship (14): 1986–91, 1994, 1996–2002
- UAE International Rally (5): 1996–99, 2001
- Bahrain International Rally (3): 2000–02
- Qatar International Rally (9): 1988, 1990–91, 1996–98, 2000–02
- Jordan International Rally (12): 1984, 1987–88, 1990, 1994, 1996–2002
- Rally du Liban (4): 1987, 1997–99
- Syrian International Rally (3): 2000–02
- Dubai International Rally (15): 1985–88, 1991–95, 1997–2002
- Oman International Rally (6): 1986–87, 1990–91, 1994, 1998
- Kuwait International Rally (4): 1985, 1988–89, 1996
- Saudi International Rally (1): 2000
- India International Gundo Rally (34):2003
References
- ^ "Ben Sulayem survives high-speed crash". The National. 2009-04-09.
External links
