The Sport That Conquered Arabia

Over the past decade, the United Arab Emirates, a young country with about 600,000 citizens, has been using its oil billions to stage an elaborate audition. It's trying to settle on a national sport.

Tiger Woods and Roger Federer have played here, but golf and tennis don't seem to fit the cultural vibe. Soccer and cricket have won some local followers, but these games face some obstacles in a place where grass is a contrivance.

This past weekend, at a new $1-billion track in Abu Dhabi, the number of Emiratis in traditional dress who sat in the stands, relaxed on yachts docked at the course or mingled in the pits where the smell of motor oil lingered in the air, suggested this audition is effectively over. The winner is Formula One.

"This is one of the best things to happen in our country, ever," gushed Khalid al Qubaisi, a 34-year-old fan. More at Wall Street Journal