Al Attiyah cynosure of all eyes as MERC Qatar Rally flags off

Date

2/4/2016 4:05:01 PM

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The local hero Nasser bin Saleh Al Attiyah in action.

Doha: Qatar’s national racing icon and two-time Dakar Rally champion Nasser bin Saleh Al Attiyah will be the cynosure of all eyes when the FIA’s Middle East Racing Championship (MERC) flags off with Qatar International Rally 2016 at Doha Corniche this afternoon starting at 7pm.

The legendary Qatari will go full throttle with the aim of capturing his fourth consecutive Qatar Rally Championship following his successful run at the 2013 2014 and 2015 versions but there will be 15 of world’s best drivers looking to spoil his effort focusing on honours at the end of the three-day rally.

Today the Rally will be ceremonially flagged-off with the Super Special Stage at the car park along the Doha Corniche. The 2.7km track will provide excitement and challenges to drivers while it is also the only stage which the vehicles will run on asphalt. The spectators will be in for a treat as the drivers display their skills along the short track drifting and negotiating corners at high speed

Al Attiyah will drive the Skoda Fabia R5 much like his fellow countryman Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and they are joined by Khalid Al Suwaidi who will be in action in his Ford Fiesta R5.

The remaining 12 drivers will compete for Group N glory most notably Lebanon’s Rodolphe Asmar who’ll be driving alongside Joseph Matar in a Motortune Racing Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX. The start studded list will also include drivers from Kuwait Lebanon Jordan and Turkey who will go the extra mile in search of ways to impress. According to the clerk of the Rally Marwan Musabah the drivers will be in action under the actual rally atmosphere on the following day and the coming 72 hours will determine the champion of the 34th version of Qatar international rally in both classes.

At 9.00am today the participating cars will undergo inspection by the FIA technical delegate Lionel Care.

More than 125 marshals will be on duty during the rally and the volume of preparations carried out by QMMF is something special.

Today’s super special stage will be followed by six more special stages tomorrow and an additional six on Saturday ensuring top class racing action along a variety of terrains.

The Peninsula

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