Al Attiyah beats Al Qassimi to Dubai Int’l Baja victory
DUBAI, UAE, March 11: Nasser Al Attiyah produced a convincing victory in the inaugural Dubai International Baja powered by AW Rostamani and Nissan today as Dubai-based South African rider Mark Ackerman produced a brilliant surge on the last leg to clinch the bikes crown.
Qatar’s reigning FIA World Cup champion Al-Attiyah, partnered by
RALLYING
French co-driver Mathieu Baumel in a Toyota Hilux, extended his overnight lead to win by 14 mins 57 secs from the UAE’s Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi and Khalid Al Kendi who finished a clear second in their Abu Dhabi Racing Peugeot 2008 DKR.
Former Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge quads champion Mohammed Abu Issa with Frenchman Xavier Panseri were another 8 mins 10 secs further away in third in their Mini All4 Racing in the second round of this year’s FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies for cars and buggies.
Finishing seventh overall, Ukrainian driver Vadym Prytuliak driving solo in a Polaris RZR edged out the UAE’s Ahmed Al Maqoodi and Obaid Al Kitbi by just nine seconds to capture the buggies title.
With the event also forming the opening round of the FIM Bajas World Cup Ackerman, riding a Husqvarna, wiped out a 1 min 28 secs overnight held by Benjamin Melot on a KTM to win the stage and take the bikes title by 29 seconds from the Frenchman.
With the UAE’s new World Cup event producing more spectacular action as the Nissan Stage 3 unfolded among the dramatic dunes and plains of the Al Qudra desert, top Emirati rider Mohammed Al Balooshi climbed one place to finish third.
Young Emirati Mansour Al Helei, partnered by experienced WRC co-driver Chris Patterson in an Abu Dhabi Racing Toyota Land Cruiser, was an impressive winner of the T2 production class, taking it by 3 mins 34 secs from UAE-based Emil Khneisser in a Nissan Patrol. Qatar’s reigning FIA World Cup T2 champion Adel Hussain Abdulla of Qatar was third in the class in another Nissan Patrol.
“The event has been an outstanding first-time success and it will go from strength to strength because the baja form of rallying is the future for the sport here,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, the rally organisers, and the Emirates Motor Sport Federation.
Al Attiyah, who had emphasised before the start that the Dubai International Baja signposted an exciting new era for rallying in the Middle East, will immediately set his sights on defending his title in the Desert Challenge next month.