In 1991, Sulayem founded the UAE Desert Challenge, and over the next few years he developed the event into one of the world's most spectacular and demanding international cross country rallies for cars and trucks, as well as bikes and quads.
Two years later, the Desert Challenge doubled up for the first time as a round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, and continues to attract the world's top bike and quad riders to the dramatic desert terrain of the UAE.