Yas Heat announce selected drivers from Open Trials program

Season 2 of the V10 R-League is on its way in 2021, and some teams are already preparing the ground.

Red Bull has already confirmed which of their drivers will be competing in the amazing series this year, and now Yas Heat are pulling together talent to jump behind the wheel.

Discovering new talent

Yas Heat has made it a priority to uncover, develop, and show off the talents of sim racers from around the Middle East region.

Their Open Trials program has now delivered some of that talent, uncovering five drivers who are ready to step out onto the global stage of sim racing.

The new drivers include Khalifa Alqubaisi, a former Emirati Karting Champion who has flourished in endurance sim racing, and Mohammed Akram who has been racing on Assetto Corsa Competizione.

Joining them are Gran Turismo drivers Karl Etymezian and Hazem Zaki, along with iRacing specialist Yashish Manohar.

These drivers are a mix of Emirati, Lebanese, Egyptian, and Indian and represent the growing level of sim racing talent across the region.

Hidden gems

With over 1,000 applicants to their program, it's clear there is a fast-growing and hungry world of sim racers in the MENA region, and Yas Heat is keen to continue tapping into the talent that sits on their doorstep.

Saif Al Noaimi, Acting CEO Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management and Principal, YAS HEAT ESPORTS, said:

“It’s been great to watch the progression of the academy drivers over the past few weeks. We were thrilled with the initial applications of over 1,000 keen virtual racers, but then to find five future superstars means the project continues towards its vision of becoming a home for esports racing talent.

“Now we can’t wait to move on to the next step of the process, honing and developing their skillset and bringing them on-board as part of the elite YAS HEAT ESPORTS team. We’re all really excited to see how they get on as they’ll be competing across a broad range of virtual racing platforms and titles. YAS HEAT ESPORTS is heading into 2021 with high hopes and a lot of confidence.”