In recent years Dubai has become renowned for its motor sports. Boasting a full calendar of local, national and international races, taking in a race while visiting Dubai is a must see for many tourists.

Leading not only the Middle East, but the world, the Dubai Autodrome and Business Park boasts a 5.39 kilometer race track fitted out to play host to some of the best races in the world. The stadium seats seven thousand, there is also a world class Go-Kart track. The Autodrome also hosts concerts and other events.

In November you can catch the FIA GT Championship. The national Dubai race season also takes part in the Autodrome each year and makes for great viewing. Dubai is also the host of the world’s biggest off road desert race. Each year the UAE Marlboro Desert Challenge takes off, breaking the silence across the desert as it roars into life.

The highlight for motor sports in Dubai each year would be the Renault F1 Motor show. The motor show brings together lovers of high speeds and state of the art engineering from across the globe. This year the show was bigger than ever, hosting the launch of Renault’s new Formula One car, the R28.

The R28 strutted its stuff around the streets of Dubai over the course of the event. In the desert and the city, the R28 is certainly impressive, unforgettable though was when driver, Nelson Piquet, pushed the R28 to its extremes on the snow slopes at Ski Dubai.

Not everyone wants to be a spectator, if you’re looking for motor sports in Dubai and are ready to get behind the wheel yourself, give desert racing a try. After a trip out to the sand dunes you’ll be given your own four wheel drive buggy to tear about in. Casually referred to as Desert Bashing, speeding around in the sand is great fun, if you get enough speed up you may even catch a little air.

Go Karting is immensely popular in Dubai. Both professional drivers and amateurs head to Dubai City to hone their skills. Other than the Autodrome there are two other professional tracks. Formula One is the leading Go Karting facility in the Middle East. An indoor, air conditioned track, it is frequented by experienced drivers and newcomers to the sport alike.

 If it’s your first time, its easy to find an instructor to get you up to speed on the sport. Make sure you use a seat belt and a helmet and abide by any rules set while driving on the track.