Emirati star Hamda Al Qubaisi will make a return to the Formula 4 UAE for the 2023 season, as she joins Abu Dhabi-based YAS Heat Racing.
Emirati star Hamda Al Qubaisi will make a return to the F4 UAE for the 2023 season, as she joins Abu Dhabi-based YAS Heat Racing.
Al Qubaisi is currently the most successful female racer in Formula 4 ever, having won 6 races and having clinched 20 podium finishes throughout 2020 and 2021. She made her racing debut in 2019 at Red Bull Ring, for a part-time campaign in the Italian Formula 4 before making her full-time debut in 2020 with Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema.
Following in the footsteps of her father – established sports car racer Khaled Al Qubaisi – and her sister Amna – the first ever Arab female winner in single-seaters – Hamda contested a solid learning season, securing two point-scoring results in one of the most competitive junior formulae in the world.
In the Emirati-based championship, Hamda left her mark and won three races, finishing fourth in the standings. She would repeat the same results in 2021 , before a highly impressive season in the Italian championship, where she made history and became the first female driver to step on the overall podium. She conquered 24 points and stepped up to F3 Regional machinery.
The following year saw Hamda – as well as her sister Amna – racing together in the Formula Regional Asian Championship. Hamda almost ended up scoring points at debut on her home race in YAS Marina.
The 20-year-old racer continued her rookie year in F3 in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA), in a highly competitive grid of almost 40 entries.
Racing for Prema, Hamda improved significantly throughout the season.
During the European winter break, Hamda tested the Tatuus F4-T421 car with YAS Heat Racing, before announcing she would return to F4 for the upcoming UAE championship with the same team.
Hamda joins Matteo Quintarelli and Keanu Al-Azhari in a three car effort for the YAS Heat Racing by Xcel organization – and is the third female driver to announce her participation in the championship: fellow FRECA driver Léna Bühler, as well as Victoria Blokhina will contest the season for R2Race.
The championship is set to start on January 13/14 at Dubai Autodrome, and will also visit Kuwait Motor Town and YAS Marina Circuit in a 5-event schedule.