MUSCAT: Sheikh Khalid bin Faisal Al Qassimi and his co-driver Chris Patterson in a Citroën DS3 RRC had a good start in the Oman International Rally, 6.8sec. in front of their closest rival after winning the 3.5Km spectator stage on a mixed surface (gravel and asphalt) with a time of 3:30.5sec.

Al Qassimi started Day 2 of Oman International Rally Friday positively and with high expectations after winning the spectator stage, but was surprised when his car started losing stability in the 3rd Km of SS3.

Al Qassimi said: “I was really looking forward to the Oman Rally as I won the event back in 2007. We had a great start but in SS3 in the 3rd Km the car started acting strangely and we started losing traction and stability – initially I thought it was a puncture but we subsequently found out that it was a broken front right drive shaft.”

Sheikh Khalid continued after the service park stop where the broken part was replaced and finished Day 2 in 2nd place but over 2min 22sec behind the leader.

Racing in the 2WD Citroën DS3 R3, ADR junior drivers, Mohamed Al Mutawaa, Saeed Bintouq, Juma Al Falasi, and Mansoor Belhelei had a very good start to the rally and led the spectator stage.

Mohamed Al Mutawaa finished the second day, 1st in the class and 5th overall, 4.6sec behind the 4th place and in front of his teammate Saeed bin Touq who finished his day in style in 6th place overall. Unfortunately Mansoor Belhelei and Khalid Al Kendi got stuck behind a broken car for around 12Km on SS3 explaining their slow times. However, they came back strongly in the 2nd loop producing some good times to finish the day 3rd in class and 7th overall in front of teammate Juma Al Falasi.

Al Mutawaa said: “It’s a very challenging rally, I’m really learning a lot here in Oman, the stages are very technical with lots of blind crests.”

Provisional overall classification after SS7:

1. Al Kuwari A. 51:22.8

2. Al Qassimi K. +2:22.6

3. Al WAssimi A. +3:54.7

4. Al Kuwari A. +7:46.0

5. Al Mutawaa M. +7:50.6

6. Bintowq S. +9:43.1

7. Belhelei M. +10:45.8

8. Al Falasi J. +11:51.1

9. Al Harthi S. +13:30.7

10. Soomar H. +15:40.3