DUBAI: Reigning FIA World Cup champion Nasser Al-Attiyah produced a first-leg master class to take control in the Dubai International Baja powered by AW Rostamani and Nissan on Friday while French rider Benjamin Melot grabbed the lead in the bikes contest.
Partnered by French co-driver Mathieu Baumel in a Toyota Hilux, Al-Attiyah powered his way into a lead of 6 minutes 12 seconds after the day’s two stages from the UAE’s Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi and Khalid Al-Kendi in their Abu Dhabi Racing Peugeot 2008 DKR.
Former Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge quads champion Mohammed Abu Issa of Qatar finished the stage another 6 minutes 52 seconds away in third place in a Mini All4 Racing in the second round of this year’s FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies.
Al-Qassimi might have been closer to Al-Attiyah but for an early problem. “We had a very good start to SS1 in the morning with great rhythm but then faced some difficulties when driving on the sand as the track was affected by the bikes and cars that started in front of us. So we tried to take a different line and managed to get our rhythm back and regain some of the time we had lost,” he said.
Czech Republic driver Miroslav Zapletal in a Hummer, Frenchman Ronan Chabot in a Toyota Hilux and World Cup first round winner Aron Domzala of Poland in another Hilux completed the top six.
Capitalising on the early retirement of Dubai-based Dakar Rally champion Sam Sunderland with mechanical problems, Melot completed the first-leg holding a 1 minutes 28 seconds lead over South African rider Mark Ackerman, with Italian Alessandro Ruoso in third, just ahead of top Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi. Dubai-based Dave McBride and Kuwaiti Mohammed Jaffar completed the top-six in the opening round of this year’s FIM Bajas World Cup.
“We’ve had a great first day of desert rallying, and the excitement generated by the event already suggests it has a very big future,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, the rally organizers, and the Emirates Motor Sport Federation.
Emirati driver Ahmed Al Maqoodi partnered by Obaid Al-Kitbi in a Polaris finished the day leading the buggies category and holding ninth place overall.
In the production cars class, young UAE driver Mansour Al-Helei in an Abu Dhabi Racing Land Cruiser had carved out a 5 minutes 34 seconds lead from the Nissan Patrol of UAE-based Emil Khneisser.
Saudi Arabia’s Yasir Seaidan in another Land Cruiser was 2 minutes 40 seconds further away in third, with reigning FIA World Cup T2 champion Adel Hussain Abdulla of Qatar fourth in another Nissan Patrol
At the end of two AW Rostamani Arabian Automobiles stages adding up to 174kms, the UAE’s Mohammed Al-Shamsi topped the quads standings on his Yahamah 700 Raptor by 1minutes 20seconds from Kuwaiti Fahad Al-Musallam on another Yamaha. The UAE’s Humaid Al-Mashghouni was another 6 minutes 32 seconds away in third place on a Honda.
Partnered by French co-driver Mathieu Baumel in a Toyota Hilux, Al-Attiyah powered his way into a lead of 6 minutes 12 seconds after the day’s two stages from the UAE’s Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi and Khalid Al-Kendi in their Abu Dhabi Racing Peugeot 2008 DKR.
Former Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge quads champion Mohammed Abu Issa of Qatar finished the stage another 6 minutes 52 seconds away in third place in a Mini All4 Racing in the second round of this year’s FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies.
Al-Qassimi might have been closer to Al-Attiyah but for an early problem. “We had a very good start to SS1 in the morning with great rhythm but then faced some difficulties when driving on the sand as the track was affected by the bikes and cars that started in front of us. So we tried to take a different line and managed to get our rhythm back and regain some of the time we had lost,” he said.
Czech Republic driver Miroslav Zapletal in a Hummer, Frenchman Ronan Chabot in a Toyota Hilux and World Cup first round winner Aron Domzala of Poland in another Hilux completed the top six.
Capitalising on the early retirement of Dubai-based Dakar Rally champion Sam Sunderland with mechanical problems, Melot completed the first-leg holding a 1 minutes 28 seconds lead over South African rider Mark Ackerman, with Italian Alessandro Ruoso in third, just ahead of top Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi. Dubai-based Dave McBride and Kuwaiti Mohammed Jaffar completed the top-six in the opening round of this year’s FIM Bajas World Cup.
“We’ve had a great first day of desert rallying, and the excitement generated by the event already suggests it has a very big future,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, the rally organizers, and the Emirates Motor Sport Federation.
Emirati driver Ahmed Al Maqoodi partnered by Obaid Al-Kitbi in a Polaris finished the day leading the buggies category and holding ninth place overall.
In the production cars class, young UAE driver Mansour Al-Helei in an Abu Dhabi Racing Land Cruiser had carved out a 5 minutes 34 seconds lead from the Nissan Patrol of UAE-based Emil Khneisser.
Saudi Arabia’s Yasir Seaidan in another Land Cruiser was 2 minutes 40 seconds further away in third, with reigning FIA World Cup T2 champion Adel Hussain Abdulla of Qatar fourth in another Nissan Patrol
At the end of two AW Rostamani Arabian Automobiles stages adding up to 174kms, the UAE’s Mohammed Al-Shamsi topped the quads standings on his Yahamah 700 Raptor by 1minutes 20seconds from Kuwaiti Fahad Al-Musallam on another Yamaha. The UAE’s Humaid Al-Mashghouni was another 6 minutes 32 seconds away in third place on a Honda.
