(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, the Middle East's most successful rally driver of all time, will lead his rivals into the official start of the 2017 QMMF Qatar International Rally at the Losail International Circuit today.
Ahead of the 13-time winner of the Qatar Rally and a winner of a record-breaking 63 MERC events since the start of 2003, lie a dozen carefully chosen special stages in a two-day desert route laid on by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), which runs under the presidency of Abdulrahman Al Mannai.
Ten cars and 20 competitors from 10 nations will start the opening round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship, with Al-Attiyah facing competition from the Regional Rally Cars of fellow countryman Khaled Al-Suwaidi and Kuwait's Masoud Al Saleh at the front of the field.
The remainder of the line-up is made up of seven teams taking part in the MERC 2 or Group N Championship category and the Jordanian driver Asem Aref running near the rear of the field in a two-wheel drive, near-standard, Renault Clio entered in the MERC 3 series.
Al Attiyah's experience on the global stage and his in-depth knowledge of the local terrain makes him the clear favourite to seal win number 14 in Qatar and a 13th regional rally success for his French co-driver Matthieu Baumel.
But the Qatari's Autotek-run Skoda Fabia R5 is new out of the box and anything could go wrong with new servicing regulations in place this year.
Al Attiyah first used a Skoda Fabia R5 in Lebanon and the WRC event in Germany in 2015 and went on to claim the title in a BRR-run car from the Czech manufacturer's stable last year, winning rallies outright in Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan as well.
Khalid Al Suwaidi's only MERC victory to date came alongside British navigator Nicky Beech in Kuwait in 2012, but the Qatari, who also drives a Skoda Fabia R5, is long overdue a second success and has called upon the expertise of British co-driver Marshall Clarke on this occasion.
'I have a new focus and am determined to push for my first win in this rally, said Al-Suwaidi. 'I really feel that I have the pace to beat Nasser. I took part in several WRC rallies last year and the feeling was there.
The sole Ford Fiesta R5 on the entry list is the third of the Regional Rally Cars and will be crewed by the Kuwaiti pairing of Masoud Al Saleh and Sulaiman Al Saleh.
'My plan is to drive flat out from the start, said Al Saleh confidently at the pre-event press conference. 'I want to enjoy myself. I want to race against Nasser and Khalid.
One late addition to the entry list for this 201st event in the history of the championship is the appearance of Indian navigator Musa Sherif alongside Qatar's Khalid Al Mohannadi in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII.
The experienced competitor hails from the Kerala region of southern India and has taken part in numerous domestic rallies.
He won the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) title alongside Gaurav Gill in a Group N Mitsubishi Cedia in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013 as part of the leading Team MRF operation.
Officials at the QMMF have modified the format of the 2017 event and there will be no chance to work on the cars at an official service point throughout the entire opening leg that offers 71.62 competitive kilometres.
Two loops of three special stages are planned with one remote refuelling point and no opportunity to work on a damaged car.
'The changes in the regulations will certainly make us think more carefully about taking any risks and avoiding flat tyres and car damage, admitted top seed Al Attiyah.
'It is very easy to lose the rally with a silly mistake and very difficult to make that time back."
QMMF President Al Mannai said: 'The rally in Qatar would not have been possible without the perennial support and guidance of His Highness, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al-Thani and His Excellency Salah bin Ghanem Al-Ali, Minister for Youth and Sport.
'We express our gratitude and our highest appreciation to them for making the rally in Qatar a reality for the world motor sporting community.
Today's competitive action gets underway with runs through three short special stages that are then repeated in the afternoon.
The Mekaines stage of 9.84km gets proceedings underway at 11.05hrs and the sixth special at Umm Wishah has been arranged for 2.10pm.
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