Basil Shaaban drives to sheikh things up
Basil Shaaban aims to be the first Arab driver in F1, and with a little support from F1 head-honcho Bernie Ecclestone, he just might make it.
Shaaban was born in Lebanon, raised in the Emirates and studied astrophysics at Berkeley in California. Having raced in the A1 GP series for the Lebanese team, he is struggling to find the financial support to continue racing in the British F3 series. From Formula 3, Shaaban hopes to move up to GP2, the second-tier stepping-stone race series run by Renault chief Flavio Briatore, before eventually making it into Formula One.
Ecclestone has expressed his support, and no wonder as he endeavors to increase F1's presence in the oil-rich Arab world. The grands prix in Dubai Bahrain and in nearby Istanbul bring F1 to the Middle East, and Basil Shaaban could be the first to bring the Middle East to F1. Shabaan says his aim, beyond racing and winning, of course, is to promote something positive from the Arab world. Good luck, Basil.
[Source: F1i]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
BCM 1:06PM (11/07/2006)
Istanbul is "nearby" Dubai in the same sense that Mexico City is "nearby" Chicago.
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ddemet 1:11PM (11/07/2006)
Grand Prix in Dubai??? Guys, I know you only watch NASCAR but there is no F1 GP in Dubai, its in Bahrain... As for the Turkish GP taking place 'nearby' it is 1600miles away (check on GoogleMaps). Coincidentaly all European GPs take place LESS than 1600miles away from Turkey.
Anyway, we do get your point about Middle Eastern GPs being a 'Bernie-target'. ;-)
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RZ 1:18PM (11/07/2006)
Formula 1??????????? How about stopping terrorism first.
Here in USA we have corporations who sponsor teams, who will do it in there, hezbola, iran and syria?
I hate to say this, but arabs do not know how to spell cars......and if you disagree how do you explain Former CEO of ford and what he had done. (one before bill)
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RZ 1:19PM (11/07/2006)
It the picture look at the woman just to the left of the big boobied one, she is mostly covered by lebanese flag.......look at that face, i bet they are the cheerleaders.
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Zain 1:18PM (11/07/2006)
Where's "Berkley"?
And what's he gonna do? Doughnuts through the chicanes?? I guess that's a part of the plan to bring "excitement" the F1 track.
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Koolaid 1:37PM (11/07/2006)
All of you are here criticizing this guys 1 goal in life. you make fun of his "arab" background." I DONT SEE ANY OF YOU IN THE F1. WHY IS THAT? Is it cause he is better then you? or that you suck at life?
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Mr_Oak 1:37PM (11/07/2006)
Yes, but can he drive?
Drivers who "buy" F1 rides historically suck at it. Well, at least that moves Scott Speed up one place on the grid.
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yeahright 1:47PM (11/07/2006)
No-one said anything about him trying to buy a ride. He's trying to find sponsors, which is different. Every budding driver needs sponsors.
I wish the guy luck. However, that pic really does say it all in terms of the culture clash: one woman flashing her breasts and her belly, the other tightly veiled to conform to local customs and edicts. Yikes.
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Mr_Oak 2:36PM (11/07/2006)
The term "Buy" a seat comes from a driver with sponsors in hand show up and making a cash strapped team an offer they cannot refuse. A better qualified driver that would command a salary gets the boot in his favor. In F1 it is the norm that the cars are sponsored not the drivers, the drivers are paid by the teams.
To illustrate my point in post #7. Shinji Nakano comes to mind.
Name = Shinji Nakano
Nationality = Japanese
Years = 1997-1998
Team(s) = Prost, Minardi
Races = 33
Championships = 0
Wins = 0
Podiums = 0
Poles = 0
Fastest laps = 0
First race = 1997 Australian Grand Prix
First win = n/a
Last win = n/a
With his place at Prost heavily reliant on their engine partners Mugen-Honda it came as no surprise when a switch to Peugeot power saw the French outfit drop Nakano in favour of the young Jarno Trulli and the fit again Olivier Panis. However Nakano (again Cash in hand) was able to pick up a ride at perenial backmarkers Minardi for the 1998 season.
To be fair, I will measure his performances against his team mate(s) - identical cars.
1998 F1 season:
Olivier Panis - 5 Shinji Nakano - 7
Olivier Panis - 3 Shinji Nakano - 15
Olivier Panis - DNF Shinji Nakano - Engine Failure
Olivier Panis - 8 Shinji Nakano - Crash
Olivier Panis - 4 Shinji Nakano - Kitty Litter
Olivier Panis - 2 Shinji Nakano - GearBox
Olivier Panis - 11 Shinji Nakano - 6
Jarno Trulli - 8 Shinji Nakano - Engine Failure
Jarno Trulli - 10 Shinji Nakano - Kitty Litter
Jarno Trulli - 4 Shinji Nakano - 7
Jarno Trulli - 8 Shinji Nakano - 11 Last of cars still running
Jarno Trulli - 6 Shinji Nakano - 7
Jarno Trulli - 15 Shinji Nakano - DNF Elect.
Olivier Panis - DNF Shinji Nakano - DNF Mech. Failure
Olivier Panis - DNF Shinji Nakano - DNF Mech. Failure
Olivier Panis - 7 Shinji Nakano - 10
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Mr_Oak 2:42PM (11/07/2006)
Sorry, in post #9 that should read 1997 not 1997 F1 season.
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Dre 2:50PM (11/07/2006)
eh???? RZ.... Arabs dont know how to spell cars?
Jesus, some of you guys need to move from infront of the PC and get out into the world. As for who will sponsor teams/driver from over there, dont look to the terrorists, look to the oil companies (that you Americans keep pumping money into) and the insanely rich Sheiks that live in that part of the world. Dubai's economy is developing so fast, it makes America's development pace look like that of a 3rd world country.
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Mr_Oak 2:48PM (11/07/2006)
Sorry, in post #9 that should read 1997 not 1998 F1 season.
Dannit,I need caffine.
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Mr_Oak 3:00PM (11/07/2006)
Hey didn't even notice the Arab chica behind the flag, are her eyes are locked onto the pit babe's boobs?
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Mr_Oak 3:26PM (11/07/2006)
Jesus, some of you guys need to move from infront of the PC and get out into the world. As for who will sponsor teams/driver from over there, dont look to the terrorists, look to the oil companies (that you Americans keep pumping money into).
America, India, Japan,China and the rest of the world for that matter.
So bud, where do you live? do you live in a oil producing country? or is that oxen drawn cart thing going swimmingly?
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Andy 3:05PM (11/07/2006)
Blowing up Jews is a pretty profitable enterprise for a tiny oil sheikdom. I hear the Syrians want to install rockets on their 1962 Fiat racer. The winner steps on the Israeli flag.
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JS 3:11PM (11/07/2006)
First step....get rid of that ugly girl next to him....yikes!
Replace with an exotic beauty of persian or lebanese origin....or where ever you like...
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OBOLINE 3:20PM (11/07/2006)
#4, Carlos Ghosn is Lebanese, I think he spells cars pretty well, don't you think. Please do not generalise. Be just a little open minded.
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Mike 8:36PM (11/07/2006)
LOL, I have to agree with #15. Yikes for sure.
BTW Was the title to this article in english? LOL
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RZ 3:59PM (11/07/2006)
#16 well i acctualy knew that, but i was hoping no one would remember that.
#15 Dude i live in NYC and there are plenty of Lebanese and Persians are here, believe ME they look exactly like that ugly one, all of them. But at least the uglier one's have enough decency to cover their faces in public.
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Dre 4:48PM (11/07/2006)
Actually oak, no, i dont live in an oil producing country. The difference here with gas at about $3.30 US a gallon we dont really import many gas guzzling SUVs et al ;)
btw.. whats an 'oxen drawn cart' ?
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