JEDDAH, 24 November 2004 — Lebanon’s ace driver Abdo Feghali is fully prepared to take part in the upcoming Dubai International Rally for the first time in two weeks’ time and is looking forward to taking part in his first desert rally over gravel stages to the south of the city on Dec. 1-3.
Feghali, the defending national champion will arrive in Dubai on Nov. 27. He admits that there will be little time before the official recce period begins to test his Red Bull Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 in the desert.
“We must make sure that we carry out a full recce of the stages,” said Feghali.
“That will allow me to look closely at the tracks and to formulate a plan and a set-up for the car. There is little point making any major changes until I have seen the stages and know what to expect.
“The desert is going to be totally different to anything I have experienced before and I will be up against four very fast drivers. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah needs to win the rally and both Rashid Al-Ketbi and Suhail Khalifa are fast, determined guys who have nothing to lose. A podium is the goal and that is realistic, but I will be happy to gain as much experience as possible in the soft sand and reach the finish.”
Abdo’s co-driver Joseph Mattar began rallying in 1992, when he took part in the Lebanese Spring Rally. He tackled the Rally of Lebanon round of the regional series for the first time the following year and went on to partner the late Johnny Moucadieh in a Lancia Delta HF Integrale to second overall in his home event.
After a season a couple of events with Frenchman Pierre-Cesar Baroni, Joseph successfully accompanied Jean-Pierre Nasrallah to victory on his home event in 1997 and joined Abdo for the first time two years later.
“Joseph is one of the most experienced and most talented co-drivers in the Middle East,” added the Red Bull driver. “He has over 12 years’ experience with some of the best drivers in the region.
We have tackled around30 rallies together and entered our first round of the WRC in 2002 in a Ford Puma. You need to have confidence in your co-driver at all times. He has to make split-second decisions, like the driver, and gather as much information as possible from the notes that you make on the recce sessions.
The 2004 Dubai International Rally will also mark the last time that both Group A cars and four Saudi Arabian Toyotas are eligible to take part in the event.
New FIA regulations dictate that only showroom-specification Group N cars, like Abdo’s Red Bull Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8, will be able to score points and start championship events in 2005.
