Building Dreams on Four Wheels: Inside GT Race Marbella’s Rise to Success
When Saud El Azem and his business partner Yousef looked at Marbella and Puerto Banús, they didn’t see just another luxury destination. They saw a gap, a missing piece in a landscape where wealth and ambition converge, yet community and authentic connection remain elusive.
Today, just ten months after launching GT Race Marbella, their vision has transformed into a thriving ecosystem of over 100 members from around the world. It’s a story about more than fast cars and racing. It’s about understanding what people truly want when they arrive in a new place with everything except belonging.
From Family Business to Car Club Revolution
Saud’s path to launching GT Race wasn’t linear. With roots connecting Syria, Spain, and Saudi Arabia, his early career involved real estate, petrol, and construction, industries that taught him something crucial about high-net-worth clients: they’re searching for connection, not just transactions.
Years spent working with prominent families from the Middle East revealed the pattern. These individuals arrive in Marbella with supercars, families, and businesses. They have everything money can buy, but they lack a community where they truly belong.
“Here it’s everyone,” Saud explains. “They come from England, from Italy, from Germany. They come with a nice car, with family, with business. But in the end, people just arrive to one new place, you don’t have friends.”
This insight became the foundation for GT Race Marbella: a members-only car club designed to connect passionate car enthusiasts while building trust, networks, and lasting friendships.
It’s Not About the Car, It’s About Lifestyle
One of the biggest misconceptions potential members have is that you need to own a supercar to join. Saud is clear on this point: membership requirements aren’t about your vehicle or your bank account. They’re about two things: being a good person and genuinely loving cars.
“Here what we’re looking, it’s for two kind of things,” he emphasizes. “You gotta be a nice person and car lover. Simple like that.”
The club’s membership process is intentionally selective. New members are recommended by existing members, then Saud conducts private meetings to assess fit. If someone doesn’t align with the group’s values, the club will even refund their membership. This selectivity ensures GT Race maintains the culture that makes it special.
A Lifestyle Experience, Not Just a Membership
What exactly does membership offer? The experience extends far beyond weekend track days, though those are a significant draw.
Members access a private application that showcases a constant calendar of events: road trips, parties, gentlemen’s dinners, girls’ events (with activities like Pilates and shopping), racing experiences, and networking opportunities. The club also offers car-related services including storage, PPF protection, detailing, and a marketplace where members can buy and sell vehicles.
But the real innovation is the networking component built into the app. Members can promote their businesses directly to others in the club, whether that’s solar energy, real estate, or luxury services. It’s a built-in network effect where high-caliber professionals naturally find each other.
The Track Day Experience: Feel Like a Formula 1 Driver
For car enthusiasts, the track days are transformational. GT Race arranges races at Spain’s premier circuits, Guadix, Ascari, Jerez, Portimão, and others. Members can bring their own supercars or rent purpose-built race vehicles at different levels of performance.
The experience goes well beyond just driving. Members receive professional coaching, have access to telemetry systems with engineers explaining how to optimize their performance, and get suited up in full race gear. It’s an immersive experience designed to make each participant feel like a professional race driver for a day.
“In one day you feel like you are Schumacher or you are Hamilton,” Saud describes.
This taps into something fundamental: the dream most people had as children, that little Ferrari toy they once played with—now transformed into a real, adult experience.
From Vision to Reality: A Professional Team
What’s remarkable about GT Race’s rapid growth is that it’s backed by a world-class team. Saud didn’t try to do everything himself. The racing division includes mechanics who’ve worked on 24 Hours Le Mans and Dakar Rally teams. The racing manager has experience with McLaren and Ascari. The marketing team is top-tier. Every position is staffed with specialists.
“I can have the best idea,” Saud acknowledges, “but in the end, if you don’t have a team, a big team and strong team, it’s impossible to kind of work and to kind of provide our client the best service and the best experience.”
This is the difference between a hobby and a business, between a good idea and a sustainable operation.
The Recent Game-Changer: Porsche Partnership
Less than a week before this interview, GT Race Marbella signed a partnership contract with Porsche Motorsport to co-host events under the Porsche Sprint Challenge Ibérica. This isn’t a small achievement, it represents validation from one of the world’s most prestigious automotive brands.
The partnership opens doors to world-class racing events and attracts the kind of members and sponsors that elevate the entire experience. It’s also a testament to the professionalism and reputation GT Race has built in just ten months.
Expansion Plans and Staying Grounded
While the original vision included opening GT Race locations in Dubai, Miami, Monaco, and Las Vegas, Saud now prefers to focus on perfecting the Marbella operation first. The world’s changing circumstances have shifted priorities toward building a stronger foundation at home.
That said, GT Race is already participating in major events. They’re part of Autovelo, Spain’s premier car event (similar to England’s Goodwood Festival), with shows in Madrid, Barcelona, and Marbella.
Looking further ahead, the goal is to eventually expand to other European locations and beyond, allowing members to use their membership globally. Imagine being a member in Marbella, then accessing the same network and events when you’re in Dubai or Monaco.
The Support System That Makes It Possible
Launching a business of this scale while maintaining relationships is no small feat. Saud got married just a day before fully committing to GT Race, no honeymoon, just dedication. His family (wife, mother, sister, brother) has been instrumental in his success, pushing him to grow while providing the emotional support needed when running a demanding operation.
The right partner, he reflects, isn’t someone who limits you with caution. It’s someone who pushes you hard and tells you your only limit is the sky.
How to Join
While membership is exclusive and typically requires a recommendation from an existing member, there is a path for outsiders. Interested parties can contact Saud directly via the GT Race website or WhatsApp, request a private meeting to discuss their profile, and be placed on a waiting list. Background checks and references are part of the vetting process, but the door isn’t entirely closed to newcomers.
The Real Business: Creating Belonging
At its core, GT Race Marbella succeeds because Saud understood something that many businesses miss: luxury isn’t just about expensive products. It’s about the feeling of belonging to something exclusive and meaningful.
When members from England, Norway, and across Europe say they don’t want to leave Marbella anymore, not just for the weather, but for the community, that’s when you know you’ve built something rare.
In a world where wealth can isolate, GT Race Marbella has created the opposite: a place where high-achieving individuals find their people, share their passions, and build genuine friendships.
And as Saud would say, that’s only the beginning.
Watch the Full Interview
Catch the full conversation with Chris Cassidy and Saud El Azem on YouTube below: As You Don’t Need a Supercar to Join This Marbella Car Club 🏎️ (Here’s How It Works)
Watch here: Watch on YouTube