Ugandan motorsport official Ibrahim Kyaluzi says the final weekend of the 2025 Formula One season pushed trackside crews to their limit, describing long hours and intense concentration as he worked at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last weekend.
Kyaluzi, who was the only Ugandan on duty at the season finale, spoke from Dubai to NBS Sport after completing his assignment at the Yas Marina circuit.
Max Verstappen won the race, but the championship went to Lando Norris.
Kyaluzi was stationed at Post 8.6, positioned directly in front of the Verstappen grandstand, where he served in the merged role of flags and intervention.
He said the workload across the week left little time to recover. “I’m really fine, though still exhausted with a long weekend of the Formula One that started on Thursday.”
He said officials rarely experience the glamour associated with Formula One because their focus remains on operational safety.
“Actually, for us who are on circuit, it is very terrible for us because we have less time to rest. At the same time, all our time and bodies and mental physics are dedicated to the race so that you who are on cameras, you happen to receive something perfect.”
Kyaluzi explained that the updated trackside role functions as a command and control point for race management, monitoring incidents and relaying information that cameras may miss.
“We are the cameras of reporting the racing infringements across the race – the damages that we might observe on the cars that the cameras might not observe.”
He added that intervention remains a core part of the job, especially during crashes or fires. “To quickly jump in and help the drivers in case there is an incident, or in case there is a fire, or the driver is out.” He described working near the Verstappen grandstand as a unique experience. “Yeah, it is really fantastic to stand in the grandstand of Max [Verstappen].”
Away from Formula One, Kyaluzi is very active in the Ugandan motorsport scenes, especially with karting events. He urged organisers to improve structure and safety, as he believes the country has raw talent that needs better systems to develop.
“Everyone is just doing their best with their physical ability. I believe if we wake up one day and happen to have really perfect training for these young boys and girls, we can end up finding someone in a championship, like the champions of the future academy.”
He encouraged local officials to prioritise standards. “Yes, they are good, but we need to better them in terms of safety, in terms of the cuts themselves.”
Kyaluzi used his appearance to highlight the work of Ugandan officials abroad and to call for stronger development pathways for young racers at home.
