(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha: The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes its place on a thrilling new world stage for cross country rallying over the next five days, with the cream of the sport's international talent battling for honours in spectacular fashion.
Qatar's Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and his French navigator Mathieu Baumel will be looking to defend their title at the Abu Dhabi desert as the action begins at Al Dhafra dunes today for the first of five testing stages.
The rally's 31st edition carries an additional amount of fascination as the second round of the new World Rally-Raid Championship.
“The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is like no other rally raid in the world, with a unique combination of tough, unforgiving desert creating extreme driving conditions, added to top class facilities and infrastructure, and an official HQ at one of the most advanced F1 venues in the world,' Mahir Badri, CEO of the Emirates Motorsports Organisation (EMSO), the rally organisers, said yesterday during a press conference in Abu Dhabi.
Following yesterday's 2km Yas Island Super Special Stage for bikes and quads starting, the Abu Desert Challenge now heads into the Al Dhafra dunes today, ultimately leading to the finish back at Yas Marina Circuit next Thursday afternoon.
The Ruler's Representative Court Al Dhafra Region provides extensive logistical support for the staging of the event in some of the world's most breath-taking areas of desert.
The press conference line-up also included nine-times World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb, who makes his Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge debut, defending champion Al Attiyah, and Stephane Peterhansel, who has won the event six times on four wheels as well as once on two wheels.
Asked this week about his formula for success in the event, Peterhansel said:“There is always a risk of getting stuck in the sand or taking a jump, and crashing the car. If you drive always 100% to the capacity of the car, it's easy to make a mistake. For me the first priority is to take time to learn the dunes, and when you start to get really confident you go as little bit faster. But always keep on the safe side.”
Other drivers attending the press conference were Emirati Yahya Al Helei, who maintains his 100% appearance record in the rally, Spain's Cristina Gutierrez, winner of last year's FIA World Cup T3 title, American defending T4 champion Austin Jones, and Czech Martin Macik one of the leading specialists in the exciting truck category.
The line-up of top riders included Sam Sunderland, who is chasing a third bikes crown in the event, Austria's defending champion, Mathias Walkner, Chile's 2018 winner Pablo Quintanilla, American Skyler Howes, a new force in the Husqvarna factory team, and Argentina's Kevin Benavides.
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