Neel Jani
Jani in 2007
Nationality	Swiss
2012 FIA World Endurance Championship
Debut season	2011 (ILMC)
Current team	Rebellion Racing
Previous series
1998–2000 2000 2001–2002 2003–2004 2005–2006 2005–2009 2007 2010	Karting Formula Lista Junior Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup Formula Renault V6 Eurocup GP2 Series A1 Grand Prix Champ Car World Series Le Mans Series

Neel Jani (born 8 December 1983 in Rorschach, Switzerland) is a Swiss race car driver of Indian origin. He has achieved his greatest success driving for A1 Team Switzerland in A1 Grand Prix, helping them win the 2007-2008 title and finishing runner-up in 2005-06 and 2008-09. He has been also a GP2 Series race-winner and Formula One tester. Jani currently competes in sports car racing with Rebellion Racing's LMP1 Lola-Toyota.

First steps[link]

Jani's career started in karting in 1998 where he stayed for two years before moving up to Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup in 2001. In the same year, he also raced some races in Italian Formula Renault. He stayed in both for 2002, again only racing part of the Italian Formula Renault season. In 2003, he moved to Formula Renault V6 Eurocup, driving for the Jenzer team. In that year, he finished second by only four points in the championship with Jenzer Motorsport. In 2004, he again raced in the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup but changed team, running with the French team DAMS, stating in the Swiss press, "This year, it is win or nothing."^{[citation needed]} He finished fourth in the championship that year, while his old team, Jenzer Motorsport finished second with their rookie driver Ryan Sharp.

GP2[link]

In 2005, he raced in the GP2 Series with Racing Engineering alongside Borja Garcia who he generally outperformed. He won two races, at the Hungaroring and at Monza. He also managed to lead most of the Nürburgring race in a clearly slower car with some effective defensive driving.

In 2006, he replaced injured Nicolas Lapierre in the Silverstone and Magny-Cours races for English race team Arden. By doing this, he also secured his place in the record books, being the only person to ever drive in both GP2 and F1 on the same day.

A1 Grand Prix[link]

Jani competing for A1 Team Switzerland at the 2008–09 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, South Africa.

He then raced in the new A1 Grand Prix series, representing his home nation with A1 Team Switzerland. In the inaugural season of A1GP, the team earned the silver medal for second place, with Jani consistently finishing on the podium, including a win at the Dubai Autodrome during the Sprint Race of the 2005-06 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, United Arab Emirates.

After missing the first two rounds of the 2006-07 season in favour Sébastien Buemi, Jani would win another Sprint Race, during the 2006-07 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Malaysia.

Jani drove all the races for Switzerland in the 2007-08 season, taking the championship with four wins and 168 points. The team finished second in the 2008-09 season, again with Jani ever-present.

Formula One[link]

He was linked to a reserve F1 seat with the Sauber team. In 2004 however, he moved back to GP2 the following year. In December 2005 he was confirmed as Scuderia Toro Rosso's third driver, alongside race drivers Scott Speed and Vitantonio Liuzzi, a role he held throughout the 2006 season, before departing to pursue a Champ Car career. For the 2008 F1 season, Neel was linked with the test driving role at Red Bull Racing. As his father is from India, Jani was linked to the proposed Indian-backed buyout of BMW Sauber^[1] but this did not succeed. In early 2010 he tested for Force India and was rumoured to be involved with the team in 2010. However Force India have since signed Mercedes driver Paul di Resta as their test and reserve driver.

Champ Car[link]

For 2007, Jani drove for the PKV Racing team in the Champ Car World Series.^[2] He ended the series in ninth place with a total of 231 points. After choosing to focus on the 2007-2008 A1GP season rather than stay in ChampCar for 2008.,^[3] the series was absorbed by the IRL.

Sports car racing[link]

In 2010, Jani and Nicolas Prost raced a Lola-Judd LMP1 at the Le Mans Series and 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 2nd at Algarve and 5th at Silverstone. Also, he raced the second half of the FIA GT1 season for Matech in a Ford GT, finishing 7th in a championship race and 8th in other two.

i1 Super Series[link]

In the last quarter of 2011, Jani joined the inaugural i1 Super Series as an Indian International driver.

Career results[link]

Complete A1 Grand Prix results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete GP2 Series results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Formula One[link]

(key)

American Open Wheel[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest race lap)

Champ Car[link]

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Rank	Points
2007	PKV Racing	LVG Ret	LBH 7	HOU Ret	POR 12	CLE 3	MTT 6	TOR 2	EDM 9	SJO 2	ROA 10	ZOL 8	ASN 5	SRF 8	MXC 9	9th	231

Complete GT1 World Championship results[link]

24 Hours of Le Mans results[link]

Year	Class	No	Tyres	Car	Team	Co-Drivers	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
2009	LMP1	13	M	Lola B08/60 Aston Martin 6.0L V12	Speedy Racing Team Sebah Automotive	Andrea Belicchi Nicolas Prost	342	14th	12th
2010	LMP1	12	M	Lola B10/60 Rebellion 5.5L V10	Rebellion Racing	Nicolas Prost Marco Andretti	175	DNF	DNF
2011	LMP1	12	M	Lola B10/60 Toyota RV8KLM 3.4L V8	Rebellion Racing	Nicolas Prost Jeroen Bleekemolen	338	6th	6th

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Neel Jani

• Neel Jani Official Site
• Neel Jani career statistics

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2010)

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan الشيخ زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان
Emir (Prince) and Hakim (Ruler) of Abu Dhabi and Rais (President) of the United Arab Emirates
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, on a state visit to Brazil in December 2003: photo by Antônio Milena/ABr
Reign	6 August 1966 – 2 November 2004
Full name	Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan
Titles	His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Past President of the United Arab Emirates Ruler of Abu Dhabi
Born	1918
Birthplace	In Al Ain,  Abu Dhabi
Died	2 November 2004 (aged 86)
Place of death	In Al Ain,  Abu Dhabi
Buried	Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, 3 November 2004 (aged 86)
Predecessor	Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Successor	Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Wives	Hassa bint Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Sheikha bint Ma'dhad Al Mashghouni Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi Mouza bint Suhail bin Awaidah Al Khaili Ayesha bint Ali Al Darmaki Amna Al Darmaki
Royal House	House of Al Nahyan
Father	Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Religious beliefs	Islam

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Arabic: زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان‎)‎, (1918 – 2 November 2004), the principal driving force behind the formation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was the ruler of Abu Dhabi and first president of the UAE, a post which he held for over 30 years (1971–2004).

Early life[link]

Zayed was the youngest son of Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, the traditional ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1922 until his assassination in 1926. Zayed was named after his famous grandfather, Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan ("Zayed the Great"), who ruled the emirate from 1855 to 1909. His eldest brother, Sheikh Shakhbut Bin-Sultan Al Nahyan, became ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1928 after their uncle, Saqr bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was also assassinated. Zayed's mother, Sheikha Salaamah, extracted a promise from her sons not to use violence against each other, a promise which they kept.^[1]

At the time of Zayed's birth, the sheikhdom of Abu Dhabi was one of seven Trucial States along the coast of the lower coast of the Persian Gulf. These territories were in treaty relations with Britain, their rulers having signed a series of maritime truces with the British in the 19th century.^[2]

As Zayed was growing up, there were no modern schools anywhere along the coast. He received only a basic instruction in the principles of Islam, and lived in the desert with Bedouin tribesmen, familiarising himself with the life of the people, their traditional skills and their ability to survive under the harsh climatic conditions.^[3]

Zayed was appointed the governor of the Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi in 1946 and was based in the Muwaiji fort in Al Ain. At this time, the area was poor and prone to outbreaks of disease. When survey parties from Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) began exploring for oil in the area, Zayed assisted them.^[4]

In 1952, a small Saudi Arabian force led by Turki bin Abdullah al-Otaishan occupied the village of Hamasa in the Buraimi Oasis (the so-called Buraimi dispute). Zayed was prominent in his opposition to Saudi territorial claims and reportedly rejected a bribe of about £30 million to allow Aramco to explore for oil in the disputed territory. As part of this dispute, Zayed and his brother Hazza attended the Buraimi arbitration tribunal in Geneva in September 1955 and gave evidence to tribual members. When the tribunal was abandoned amid allegations of Saudi bribery, the British initiated the reoccupation of the Buraimi Oasis through a local military force, the Trucial Oman Levies. A period of stability followed during which Zayed helped to develop the region and took a particular interest in the restoration of the falaj system, a network of water channels which kept the plantations of the Buraimi Oasis irrigated and fertile.^[4][5]

The discovery of oil in 1958, and the start of oil exports in 1962, led to frustration among members of the ruling family about the lack of progress under Sheikh Shakhbut’s rule. On 6 August 1966 Shakhbut was deposed in a bloodless palace coup. Although it is not entirely clear from the historical record, the coup appeared to have the full backing of the Al-Nahyan family and the support of the British, with the Trucial Oman Scouts providing safe transport for Sheikh Shakbut out of Abu Dhabi.^[5][6] In 1971, after occasionally difficult negotiations with the other six rulers of the Trucial States, the United Arab Emirates came into being. Zayed was appointed to the presidency of the UAE in 1971 and was reappointed on four more occasions: 1976, 1981, 1986, and 1991.^[7]

In 1974, Zayed apparently settled the outstanding border dispute with Saudi Arabia by the Treaty of Jeddah by which Saudi Arabia received the output of the Shaybah oilfield and access to the lower Persian Gulf in return for recognising the UAE.^[8] He was considered a relatively liberal ruler, and permitted private media. However, they were expected to practice self-censorship and avoid criticism of Zayed or the ruling families. Freedom of worship was permitted, and to a certain extent allowances were made for expatriate cultures, but this did not always sit comfortably in the eyes of the wider Arab world with Zayed's role as a Muslim head of state.^[5]

Attitudes[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

His religious tolerance of Christians and the freedom given Western workers sojourning in the UAE was in marked contrast to most neighbors in the region and exposed him to criticism from other more conservative nations. Sheikh Zayed was respected around the world^{[citation needed]} for his unifying influence and his drive to make the Emirates one nation. His calls for cooperation extended across Persian Gulf to Iran. Sheikh Zayed advocated dialogue as the means to settle the row with Tehran over three strategic Persian Gulf islands which Iran seized from the (future) UAE Emirate of Sharjah in 1971, though the islands remain in Iranian hands, despite over three decades of UAE diplomatic initiatives.

Zayed did not shy away from controversy when it came to expressing his opinion on current events in the Arab world. Troubled by the suffering of Iraqi civilians^{[citation needed]}, he took the lead in calling for lifting sanctions on Iraq imposed by the United Nations in the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, despite Kuwaiti displeasure and opposition.

Zayed was considered one of the wealthiest men in the world. A Forbes magazine estimate put his fortune at around USD 20 billion^[9]. The source of this wealth could be almost exclusively attributed to the immense oil wealth of Abu Dhabi and the Emirates, which sit on a pool of a tenth of the world's proven oil reserves. Nevertheless he chose to live a relatively modest and traditional lifestyle, riding and hunting with falcons, though he gave up hunting with firearms, a sport at which he excelled, to set an example for wildlife conservation in his fragile desert homeland. He was personally popular, and was regarded to be considerably pious in his religious observances.^{[citation needed]}

Policies and charity[link]

At the time the British withdrew from the Persian Gulf in 1971, Zayed oversaw the establishment of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Arab Economic Development; through its oil riches were channeled to some forty less fortunate Islamic nations in Asia and Africa during the decades that followed. He is also remembered as "the man who turned the desert green," because he invested oil revenues into projects to improve the harsh desert environment.

Using the country's enormous oil revenues, Zayed built up institutions such as hospitals, schools and universities and made it possible for UAE citizens to enjoy free access to them. He also decreed that the State would undertake the cost of foreign health care for those families unable to afford it. Other charitable acts included adopting hundreds of orphans and building several hospitals abroad in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

When asked by the New York Times in April 1997 why there is no elected parliamentary democracy, Zayed replied,

“Why should we abandon a system that satisfies our people in order to introduce a system that seems to engender dissent and confrontation? Our system of government is based upon our religion and that is what our people want. Should they seek alternatives, we are ready to listen to them. We have always said that our people should voice their demands openly. We are all in the same boat, and they are both the captain and the crew. Our doors are open for any opinion to be expressed, and this well known by all our citizens. It is our deep conviction that Allah has created people free, and has prescribed that each individual must enjoy freedom of choice. No one should act as if they own others. Those in the position of leadership should deal with their subjects with compassion and understanding, because this is the duty enjoined upon them by Allah, who enjoins upon us to treat all living creatures with dignity. How can there be anything less for mankind, created as Allah's vicegerent (khalif or Caliphate)(this is a translation error, what sheikh zayid meant by calipha does not mean ruler, he is describing humans on earth are the caliphas of god meaning succesors not head of state) on earth? Our system of government does not derive its authority from man, but is enshrined in our religion and is based on Allah's Book, the Quran. What need have we of what others have conjured up? Its teachings are eternal and complete, while the systems conjured up by man are transitory and incomplete.”^[10][11]

Land was also often distributed gratis. However, whilst this policy benefited many landless families, enormously wealthy clans and individuals were given free land grants in proportion to their status and influence with the royal family. His majlis (a traditional Arab consultation council) was open to the public, and as well as discussing national and personal issues, he enjoyed hearing people's opinions on poetry, as well as recitals by new and young poets. His tolerance towards other people and their faiths was evident, and he allowed the building of religious buildings such as churches and temples. This action in particular helped his image with the vast multitudes of expatriate workers who make up approximately three quarters of the population of the UAE. Zayed was also an advocate for the education and participation of women in the work force, within traditional parameters. His views regarding women's rights were considerably more liberal than his contemporaries in the GCC nations.

Collapse of BCCI[link]

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In 1972, Agha Hasan Abedi, a Pakistani banker who had set up a new bank called Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), approached Zayed for investment. Abedi had previously set up the United Bank of Pakistan in 1959, which became a leading nationalized bank in 1971. Zayed fronted the majority of the investment for the BCCI. Bank of America (25%) and the CIA allegedly invested, too. It is claimed that the CIA was seeking a funding route for the mujahideen in Afghanistan, similar to the Investors Overseas Service and the Nugen Hand Bank in the 1960s.

By 1977, the bank was almost insolvent. It took on the attributes of a Ponzi scheme, as it funded its operating expenses by deposits it received, rather than by returns from investments it made. In eight years, it reported assets of over $4 billion with over 150 branches in 46 countries. Bank of America reduced its shares, while holding companies in Abu Dhabi took on a controlling block.

In 1990, an audit of the BCCI by Price Waterhouse revealed an unaccountable loss of hundreds of millions of dollars. The bank approached Sheikh Zayed, who funded the loss in exchange for increasing his share to 78% of the bank. The bank was shut down in 1991 by the Bank of England. At the time Zayed's shareholding was 77%.^[12]

In December 1991, further investigation found layers of criminal activity taking place through the bank. The law enforcement in the U.S. established the BCCI as an organized crime syndicate^{[citation needed]}. Although Sheikh Zayed was not directly mentioned during interrogations, other family members were implicated in the criminal activity tied to the bank^{[citation needed]}. The investigation found evidence of bribery, money laundering, arms trafficking, prostitution, and support of terrorism.^[13] See: CIA Reading Room Document of William Kerr dated October 25, 1991 for details of Iran Contra and El Salvador links.

Zayed Center[link]

Controversy over the opinions of the Zayed Center caused the Harvard Divinity School to return Sheikh Zayed's $2.5 million gift to the institution in 2000 as "tainted money." Former United States president Jimmy Carter accepted the Zayed International Prize for the Environment, 2001. The award included a monetary prize of $500,000 from the Zayed Center, and Carter stated in his acceptance that this award meant a lot to him, since it was named after his personal friend, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan.^[14]

There was similar controversy when the London School of Economics accepted a large donation by the Zayed Center, to build a new lecture theatre in the New Academic Building in 2008.^[15] Despite student protests^{[citation needed]}, the gift was accepted with the Sheik Zayed Theatre being the second largest lecture hall on the campus.

Harvard's equivocation, the Carter controversy, and the engendering negative publicity, prompted Sheikh Zayed to shut down the center in August 2003, saying that the Zayed Center "had engaged in a discourse that starkly contradicted the principles of interfaith tolerance."^[16]

Final years[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

In 1999, while he was in a hospital for some tests, the people of the UAE wrote him a personal thank-you letter with 1.5 million signatures. He underwent a kidney transplant in 2000 at the Cleveland Clinic in the U.S.

On 2 November 2004, Zayed died, as announced by Abu Dhabi TV. He was believed to be 86 years old. He is buried in the courtyard of the new Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.

His eldest son, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, born in 1948, took an increasing role in the government from the 1990s; he was ratified as the Ruler of the United Arab Emirates by his fellow rulers on the Supreme Council directly after his father's death.

Shaikh Zayed International Airport located at Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan is named in his honor. There is also a lecture theatre named in his honour at the London School of Economics.

Children[link]

• With Sheikha Hassa bint Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan
  • Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (born 1948)
  • Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan (born 1953)
  • Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (born 1961)
  • Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan (born 1963)
  • Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan (born 1965)
  • Tahnoun bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
  • Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan (born 1970)
  • Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (born 1972)
  • Alyazia bint Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Shamma bint Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (1968–2010)
  • Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Omar bin Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Shamsa bint Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Afra bint Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (born 1966)
  • Falah bin Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Dhiab bin Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Latifa bint Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Mouza bint Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Wadeema bint Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Sheikha bint Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Issa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
  • Nasser bin Zayed Al Nahyan (1967–2008)
  • Roda bint Zayed Al Nahyan

See also[link]

	United Arab Emirates portal
	Biography portal

• Champions of the Earth, 2005 award by United Nations Environment Programme
• Sheikh Zayed lecture theatre, in the London School of Economics

v t e Presidents of the United Arab Emirates Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan • Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

v t e  United Arab Emirates topics History Origins Portuguese Control British and Ottoman rule 1892 Treaty Border Disputes Trucial States Council Formation and Independence Sheikh Zayed, Oil, and the Union Death of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Modern United Arab Emirates Politics Emirates Federal National Council Military of the United Arab Emirates President Prime Minister Rulers Elections 2006 election Foreign relations Foreign Aid Law Human Rights LGBT rights Hizb ut-Tahrir Geography Cities Towns and Villages Climate Resources and land use Environmental concerns Land Disputes Economy Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates Tourism External Trade Diversification Dubai Financial Market Demographics List of United Arab Emiratis (Emirati people) Language Education Religion Health Human rights Women Sunni Muslim Shi'a Muslim Culture Emirati people Architecture Food Literature and poetry Emirati writers Music Cinema Sport Transport Highways Railways Ports and Harbors Airlines Water Transport Communication Radio and Television Telecommunication Companies Media Telecommunications Regulatory Authority Internet domain Tourism Hotels in the United Arab Emirates Visitor Attractions Resorts in the United Arab Emirates Crime Symbols Flag Coat of arms National anthem Animal Bird Flower Tree Sport Dress Topics Portal

References[link]