Saeed Al Sulaiti is a Lieutenant in the Special Forces of Qatar and has been motorbike racing professionally for the last 11 years. He started racing in 2010/2011 and in his first year, he won the 'Best Rising Rider' Award. He took part in the 2014 World Endurance Championship with the national team which achieved the first position in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and second position in the overall rankings. He went on to participate in the European Superbike Championship 2015 and gained advanced results and in 2016 he was racing in the SBK world championships and that was just the beginning. (Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation - QMMF)
He won the Qatar Superstock 600 Championship in 2017/18/19 and recently returned from Spain after winning the CIV🇪🇸supersport 600 Championship 2021. This was the first time a non-Spanish person won the championship.
He is married and is the father of two beautiful children, a boy and a girl, and along with his racing, he also trains a number of promising riders, like Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hamad Al Sahouti
The ILoveQatar.net (ILQ) team brings you an exclusive Q&A with Saeed whose passion for racing has taken him around the world and won him countless awards and trophies.
Saeed: I feel really proud. I am very happy that I am representing Qatar.
Saeed: I have won many trophies and awards. I have given away some as a token to people who are close to me, who have supported me and have always been by my side, as a way to thank them.
Saeed: I started riding a motorbike when I was 21 and stopped for a while. Then, one of my friends told me about a motorbike that was selling for a great bargain. When I saw the bike, I noticed that it was already prepared for racing. I asked him where the race was and he told me it was at the Losail Circuit and that I should go and check it out. I felt like I wanted to try it, so, I went for the one track day and fell in love with motorbiking. From then onwards, I started racing. I was 25 at the time, and a lot of people told me it was too late, but I kept on going. And, five years later, I was the first Arab to participate in the SBK World Championship.
Saeed: In my first motorbike race, I was in the top 5 and then, a year later, the QMMF offered me a place in the national team. They sent me to race in Spain, and I competed in the European Championships for two years. I improved a lot in this time and they offered me a spot in the world SBK Championship because they saw how well I was doing.
Saeed: Currently, I am using the 600 CC Yamaha YZF-R6 Super Sport Motorcycle, and in Spain, I have two bikes which are also Yamaha YZF-R6s.
Saeed: The SBK World Championship (USA round), when I became the first Arab to score points is my favourite till date.
Saeed: Football.
Saeed: Losail Circuit.
Saeed: Being the first Arab to participate in the SBK World Championship in 2016. It was an amazing experience to travel the world and race with the best racers in the world.
Saeed: When I was about to start racing, I had to decide whether I should continue my education or go racing. It was a really tough decision, but I chose racing because I believed that I could really achieve something.
Saeed: 5 Times Motorcycle WSS World Champion Kenan Sofuoglu. He has coached many riders one of which is a WSBK World Champion. I raced with him in 2016.
Saeed: My wife is my inspiration and I would like to be remembered as a happy person.
Saeed: Happy. Crazy. Lovable. Passionate. Committed.
Saeed: After having kids my life changed, so I am really enjoying being a dad. I love it.
Saeed: Hard work and commitment. Belief in yourself that you can do it.
Saeed: I have my own team in Spain, so hopefully it will grow bigger in the future and I will have riders who can represent the country and the team. I also coach young riders, and I would like to continue this so I can pass on my legacy and whatever I have learned in my career as a motorbiker.
Saeed: That I leave a lasting legacy.
Saeed: I Love cars. I play football, I love sports in general. I also play padel with my brothers and play PlayStation a lot as well.
Saeed: Spain. I have been racing there for the last 10 years. I have family there. The weather is always good.
Saeed: Seafood.
Saeed: A lot of people don't know I am a police officer, and that I am one of eight siblings.
Saeed: Never give up!
Saeed: Never take no for an answer; anything is possible. Believe in yourself. Follow your dreams. Go for it.
Cover image credit: Image provided by Saeed Al Sulaiti
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