Middle East category manager Davide De Gobbi talks autumn series, Asia and Australia plans

As the Formula Regional Middle East and Formula 4 United Arab Emirates seasons come to a close in Abu Dhabi, it's remarkable how successful each series has been.

Both are still in their infancy, with the Formula Regional series borne from COVID-19 disruptions in Asia leaving series promoters Top Speed searching for alternatives to their previous Asian championship.

Top Speed took over management duties of the Formula 4 UAE series for 2023 and has turned the combined paddock into a thriving hub during the European off-season, with 70 cars between the two grids.

General Manager Davide De Gobbi, in an interview with RACEWEEK before the start of the season, said everything came together to provide "the perfect combination" for good racing and commercially successful championships.

"It has been a long way, but of course we are coming from a situation where we were really heavily affected by the COVID in the Asian region," said De Gobbi.

"So we already moved here two years ago and we have seen the potential of developing a series here."

"We understand the market, we understand the team's requirements," said the Italian.

Di Gobbi is understated but correct - he seems to understand the commercial realities of developing junior open-wheel racing like nobody else.

With over 20 years' experience in motorsports management, De Gobbi has worked his way through each aspect of junior formula racing.

In ten years with PREMA Racing, he moved from engineer to technical director, to team manager.

De Gobbi was running the Formula Regional Asian Championship when the COVID outbreak shut down global travel, especially impacting Asia.

His own family, now based in China, were locked down.

Top Speed relocated the Asian series to the Middle East, and it was a success, with young drivers still eager to progress through the ranks and maintain their driving careers during the global shutdown.

As the world reopened, interest in the Middle East series blossomed.

"We saw the interest of the teams," says De Gobbi.

"We found the right package for them and immediately we received a lot of inquires - I would say even more than what we have here on the grid."

He admits that despite the huge grids, the dual series could have been even bigger, with some teams turned away.

"It was a clear sign that, it was the right format in the number of races, the location, the time."

"When you see it for real, when you see 70 cars, it's really exciting, it makes you really proud."

Despite the success in the Middle East, De Gobbi is eager to re-establish the Formula Regional Asian Championship.

"I still believe that in the future we will work to establish the Asian series."

"Not now, maybe in the future, but this package will stay."

"The Middle East series will stay because it has proved to be a winning package."

"Asia is somewhere that needs to be reconsidered as soon as the effects of COVID have passed - and not just reopening borders."

"It will take a couple of years, but the main core of the business is in China."

Drawn specifically on plans to rebuild the FIA pyramid in Asia, it becomes clear that De Gobbi is ready to spread the Top Speed footprint.

"I'm working on a plan to relaunch the Asian series."

"I'm already in contact with the FIA sharing some ideas - I think to restart we need to focus on China as most of the cars are based in China."

"There will be a project that connects China and Southeast Asia for the second part of 2023, with the target of 2024 to launch some new ideas."

De Gobbi reveals that between the opening rounds of the championship he diverted to Melbourne for business meetings.

He told RACEWEEK that he believes a strong regional series in Asia would potentially include China and Australia.

"Australia is one of the markets that, in Southeast Asia and China, as well as Australia, we are not in the position to have a single series in each area."

"So this is the project that I'm working on, to try and link together areas and to build something in co-operation between the two."

"If you did something in Southeast Asia for example, it is not strong enough."

"I told the FIA in Southeast Asia and Oceania and China, there is no possibility for strong [individual series]."

"Maybe you have 12-15 cars but it's not strong."

"So if you can put regions together with some good ideas, maybe we can have a really strong championship."

It is difficult to tell how many projects De Gobbi is working on.

The Italian is quick to express his confidence in the return of the Asian series, but becomes more tight-lipped when it comes to discuss what exactly is next for Top Speed.

There are rumours that European teams are eager for a "winter" series to run at the end of the calendar year to provide a full schedule for contracted drivers.

De Gobbi confirms that his team is working to launch a year-end series by the end of 2023.

"We are trying in a different part of the world."

"We need to see - where are the cars, where the drivers are coming from, where we can race in good weather conditions, and where we will have the support for launching a series."

"The one window available is the end of the year, but then we need to convince drivers not to do a winter test season, and to move somewhere else."

"I will tell you more in the next couple of weeks."

The growth of open-wheel motorsport, led by Formula 1's increased digital presence and push into America, is sure to trickle down the ladder both in viewers and potential drivers.

De Gobbi says the impacts of COVID-19 on global logistics means that junior series will need one or two more years to begin to show their full potential.

"It would be easy to have, one series in January, February [will start the regular season] in Europe, and then maybe in autumn, we will be somewhere else."

"So if logistically you can manage, there is the potential for more."

Back in the middle East, De Gobbi was excited for the potential posed by his two current championships.

"We have all the top teams from Europe, the best drivers from different junior programs."

"It's been really good to see that now this series has been seen as the best playground for the winter period."

After five rounds, the signs are very good.

The racing in both series has been tight and unpredictable, with leaders emerging but not quite establishing the total domination seen at the top of the pyramid in Formula 1.

There have been incidents, but remarkably few major crashes despite the huge size of each field and the relative inexperience of the drivers.

The tour took open-wheel racing to Kuwait for the first time in history, a resounding success which will surely add to the credentials of the new Kuwait Motor Town circuit.

Davide De Gobbi's sales pitch of "the perfect combination" was proved right.