Saturday 19 / April / 2025
Muscat: Hani Al Zubair, veteran go-karting racer, makes his country proud after becoming the first Omani to participate in famous international classic car rally.
Al Zubair, Chairman of the Zubair Automotive Group, participated in the prestigious 1,000 Miglia motorsport endurance race across Italy in May 2019. He competed in his 1925 Bugatti Type 23, and covered a distance of 1,000 miles over a period of four days.
With the participation of more than 430 classic cars drivers from across the world, Al Zubair was among 360 triumphant racers who made it across the finish line.
“I am very proud to be the first Omani to compete in this event. If you ask me if the journey was smooth and the car didn’t break down? Absolutely not. There were times when I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it to the finish line and thought my race was over. But each problem was expertly overcome with the help of my incredible support team and co-driver, and we made it to the end. This was my main goal as it’s the first time the car has been driven for over 12 years, and it is almost 95 years old!” said Al Zubair while talking exclusively to Times of Oman.
He added: “The car was first brought to Oman in 2004, and soon after, it was sent to Gentry Restorations in the United Kingdom where it was fully restored to its former beauty in 2006. It has been on display in the Car Museum at the Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort ever since. It was there that a 1000 Miglia representative who happened to be staying at the hotel saw the car and planted the seed that perhaps the Bugatti could compete in the 2019 edition of the famous 1000 Miglia event. “
Rome
The race began in Brescia, heading south-east to the coastal town of Cervia Milano Marittima. It then travelled south west across the country, to the beautiful Italian capital of Rome before making its way back north towards the finish line in Brescia, with a stop at the picturesque city of Bologna along the way.
“The preparations to compete began in October. The Bugatti was registered in Oman under a special class for classic cars, with a black number plate.
“Secondly, the Bugatti needed to be certified by a FIVA Official (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens); one of the many requirements for the difficult registration process. The FIVA official flew to Muscat and took two days to fully inspect the car, certifying that all the parts were original, the engine number was correct, the chassis number was correct, and so on,” the veteran racer said.
On asking if he would participate again, Al Zubair said he definitely would love to experience it all over again.
“I very much hope so. The experience I had there is unforgettable: the atmosphere was incredible, every town and village we drove through you would see people lined up on the road cheering and waving at you, people on the streets would ask questions about the car; the whole country was involved. We had the privilege of driving through historical sites that are usually closed for vehicle access and so much more. I can’t wait to do it all again.” Al Zubair said.
