Khalil Beschir

In his third race, at Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps, a problem in qualifying relegated him to 42nd on the grid – but an outstanding comeback drive saw him climb back to sixth position, earning fastest lap in the process.

However, an ongoing lack of finance brought the curtain down on his F1 aspirations and he migrated to the nascent A1 Grand Prix series, earning the Lebanese race-seat for the 2005-06 season after a shoot-out against five other drivers.

In late 2005, Beschir's entry into the A1 Grand Prix seriesseries made him the first Arab driver to ever contest a round of an international single-seater world championship.

As a commentator, he is able to draw upon his extensive single-seater experience, taking viewers into the cockpit as the sport continues to grow in popularity across the Middle East.

Between 2019 and 2023, Beschir, in collaboration with MBC Group, played a pivotal role in increasing the popularity of the Formula 1 championship in the Middle East and North Africa.