Mohammed Ben Sulayem, a multiple winner of the Middle East Rally Championship and a vice president of the FIA, has ensured Renault's latest Formula One Roadshow got off to a bang in the worst possible sense when he shunted a Renault R28 at the Dubai Autodrome.
Ben Sulayem was taking part in a drag race along the start finish straight of the circuit when he lost control of the car shortly after leaving the line, with the car snapping sideways and going into the pit wall.
It left the car with extensive damage ahead of the remainder of the Roadshow, which is due to see Romain Grosjean and Nelson Piquet complete a series of demonstration runs in the Middle East.