PORTELEGRE, PORTUGAL: Nissan’s Adel Hussein Abdulla (pictured) is aiming to round off his successful FIA T2 campaign in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies by winning the category at this weekend’s 30th Baja Portalegre 500 in eastern Portugal.
The Qatari drives a Nissan Patrol with support from Nissan Middle East, Nissan Qatar and the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and lies second in the championship standings behind a Saudi Arabian rival.
Adel currently has a protest lodged with the FIA over the legality of his rival’s car and the outcome of that will decide whether he is still in a position to snatch the T2 title at the 11th hour. Adel Hussein and French navigator Sébastien Delaunay know that it will not be easy to win the category for Series Production Cross-Country vehicles with a capacity entry and several leading European drivers offering strong competition, but the Doha-based driver is confident in the strength and reliability of his TOK Sport-run Nissan Patrol and is relishing the start of the event on Thursday evening.
“This is the final round of the FIA World Cup and it is an important event not only for me but also for the team,” said Adel Hussein. “I am aiming for first place in T2 and hopefully we have a chance of winning the championship. We are going to fight to the end.
“Even if I finish the championship in second position, this is a big achievement for me as it is the first time that I have done the full series of events.”
Organised by the Automóvel Club de Portugal, documentation and scrutineering checks will take place at the NERPOR facility on Thursday (October 27) and precede the ceremonial start that is being hosted in the Tarro Gardens in Portalegre for the first time on Thursday .
