Qatar’s Nasser bin Saleh Al Attiyah is seen in action during the final day of Baja Spain Aragon in Northern Spain in this July 2016 file photo.
Qatar's multi-talented racing star, defending FIA World Cup champion and two-time Dakar winner Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah will be looking to impress on home soil when the Qatar Cross Country Rally will be held from April 17 to 22.
The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) on Monday announced the strongest ever entry list received for the event.
The rally is also the fourth round of FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies and round two of the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship.
The entry list outlined a quality field of 33 cars, 14 motorcycles and six quads, with competitors from a staggering 26 nations and many of the world’s leading stars taking part, with 10 of the car entrants being Priority 1 drivers.
Al Attiyah, who crashed out after maintaining a comfortable lead at last week’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, faces fierce competition from a fleet of four X-raid-built Minis, driven by Russian Vladimir Vasilyev, Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi, Poland’s Jakub Przygonski and fellow Qatari driver Mohammed Abu Issa.
Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, the comfortable leader of this year’s FIA World Cup - after becoming the first Emirati since 1992 to win the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge - will make his first appearance at the event. His entry also marks the first time a factory-specification Peugeot has competed in Qatar.
Adding spice to a truly quality field of drivers are the likes of the experienced Czech Miroslav Zapletal, fellow countryman Martin Prokop, former FIA World Cup leader Aron Domzala, South Africa’s Leeroy Poulter and Dutchman Erik van Loon.
Qatar will also be represented by Adel Abdulla, Mohammed Al Mannai, Mohammed Al Harqan, Rashid Al Muhannadi, Khalid Faraj Al Mohannadi, Abdulla Al Rabban, Jamal Fakhroo and Mohammed Al Meer.
Eight of the world’s leading off-road riders, who dominated last week’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, will also be present in Qatar. The Red Bull KTM Factory Team fields Dakar winner and FIM series leader Sam Sunderland, Austria’s Matthias Walkner and Frenchman Antoine Meo.
Pablo Quintanilla and Pierre Alexandre Renet ride the two Rockstar Energy Husqvarnas and Paulo Gonçalves and Kevin Benavides are entered by the Monster Energy Honda team. Emirati Mohammed Al Balooshi and local rider Ahmed Al Kuwari represent the GCC region.
Poland’s Rafal Sonik endured a disappointing ride in Abu Dhabi last week, but the Pole head a quad entry that includes Peru’s Alexis Hernandez Ponce, Guatamala’s Rodolfo Schippers and Argentina’s Lucas Innocente.
“We are delighted that all the efforts of staff at the QMMF have been rewarded by such a quality international entry for this year’s Qatar Cross-Country Rally,” said QMMF President Abdulrahman Al Mannai.
“We have strength in depth across all three categories and some of the world’s top stars in the sport will take part in the rally for the first time.”
The QMMF is also running a National Baja behind the international event, in which the competitors will tackle a new 5.54km super special stage in the Losail area next on April 18. The purpose-built track has been designed within the confines of the Losail motocross premises and offers free access to spectators.
The action on the first of four selective sections (334.08km) through the desert gets underway on April 19 and will be followed by three further stages on the next three days. They will run for 353.02km, 337.76km and 343.32km, respectively.
