Qatar's Al Attityah set to challenge hard
Jordan's Farrah and Saudi's Sabban all set
DUBAI, UAE - Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi of the Power Horse World Rally Team will start this weekend's two-day Dubai International Rally as the firm favourite to clinch the 2004 FIA Middle East Rally Championship for the first time. At the wheel of his Power Horse World Rally Team Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Al Qassimi teams up with Ulster co-driver Michael Orr again for the event, which starts from the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai on Thursday.
Orr's pre-arranged commitments in the Production World Rally Championship meant that Al Qassimi teamed up with last year's championship winning co-driver Steve Lancaster in the recent Rally Australia, but Orr's experience with Sheikh Khalid this season will be vital as he copes with the pressure of competing against an international entry from 14 countries on home soil. The illustrious coveted prize of the Middle East Championship crown awaits the winner at the finish in Dubai on Friday evening.
Al Qassimi begins the 14 special stages in the deserts around Fossil Rock and Hatta with a nine-point lead in the Drivers' Championship over Qatar's defending champion Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah. In simple terms, Al Qassimi needs to finish the event in eighth place or higher to take the title and Al-Attiyah, fresh from taking victory in last weekend's Qatar Baja, needs to win outright.
"The mathematics of the situation are simple," said Al Qassimi, taking a well-earned break from the two-day permitted reconaissance of the rally route on Monday and Tuesday. "I need to stay out of trouble, avoid damaging the car and I have to finish inside the top eight. That means driving at a pace where I am quick, but not taking any risks. Nasser has to and will drive flat out for the win. He needs to take the maximum 10 points."
But Al Qassimi is also aware that driving in a restrained manner has its pitfalls. "When you are not driving flat out, you can make mistakes and lose concentration. I need to find a pace where I am competitive and also safe on the stages," added the Power Horse World Rally Team driver.
While this pair chases the coveted regional title, Lebanon's Abdo Feghali will be gaining experience of his first desert rally in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8. The Rally of Lebanon runner-up retired from fourth overall in the recent Troodos Rally and is keen to end the year on a competitive note.
The traditional final round of the series has attracted 39 cars and a strong representation from the Middle East, with the outgoing Group N champion Sheikh Abdullah Al Qassimi joining Sheikh Suhail Bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum, Jordan's Amjad Farrah, Saudi Arabia's Ahmed Al Sabban and Lebanese veteran Michel Saleh as potential front-runners.
Cars will leave the start in Dubai at 09.30 hrs on Thursday morning and head off into the deserts around Margham and Fossil Rock for seven timed stages. A run through the 25.9 kms Margham test gets the competitive action underway at 10.00 hrs, followed by repeat runs through the Fossil Rock, Maleiha and Fili stages.
Friday's second leg is centred around the rocky deserts to the south. Cars head into the Margham stage again at 08.35 hrs and repeat passes through timed sections in Al Rowda, Seih Madam and Masfut bring the event to a conclusion. The finish is scheduled for 15.15 hours at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai.
Leading starters (top 6):
1. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (QA)/Chris Patterson (GB) Subari Impreza WRX STi
2. Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi (UAE)/Michael Orr (GB) Subaru Impreza WRX STi
3. Sheikh Abdullah Al Qassimi (UAE)/Steve Lancaster (GB) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7
4. Michel Saleh (RL) / Ziad Chehab (RL) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6
5. Sheikh Suhail Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum (UAE) / Ahmed Ghaziri (RL) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7
6. Amjad Farrah (HKJ) / Khaled Zakaria (HKJ) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7
2004 FIA Middle East Rally Championship:
Positions after round 7 of 8 (Drivers):
1. Khalid Al Qassimi (UAE) 43 pts
2. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (QA) 34 pts
3. Andreas Tsouloftas (CY) 26 pts
4. Amjad Farrah (HKJ) 18 pts
4. Ahmed Al-Sabban (KSA) 18 pts
6. Issa Al Dossari (KSA) 12 pts
6. Abdullah Al Qassimi (UAE) 12 pts
8. Roger Feghali (RL) 10 pts
9. Suhail Khalifa (UAE) 8 pts
9. Michel Saleh (RL) 8 pts
9. Abdo Feghali (RL) 8 pts
-Ends-
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Edward D'Mello
Headline Public Relations
PO Box 64349,
Dubai,
UAE
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F: +971 4 2282125,
Email: edward @headlinepr.com
© Press Release 2004
