Nothing for granted
Despite their recent dominance at the Dakar, Al Attiyah and Baumel will be taking nothing for granted in Qatar. At last year's rally they took a 15-minute lead into the final day of racing, but engine trouble on the final stage saw victory snatched away from them.
The reigning Dakar champions know that they will have to be on the top of their game for nearly 1,500km if they are to emerge with the win this time around.
"I've a good record here, but last year shows that anything can happen," added Al Attiyah.
Przygonski is back
Twelve months ago it was MINI driver Kuba Przygonski who took the chequered flag in Doha. The result set the Polish racer on his way to winning the 2018 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.
Przygonski returns to Qatar, this time with Timo Gottschalk of Germany as his co-driver. Gottschalk was Al Attiyah's co-driver for the Qatari's first Dakar win in 2011.
Abu Issa in the fray
While the crowd in Qatar will be out in force to cheer for Al Attiyah, they will also have a number of other local drivers to support.
Among these will be Mohamed Issa Abu Issa, who will drive a SMG Buggy alongside Frenchman Xavier Panseri.
Abu Issa enjoyed a distinguished quad bike racing career, including a fourth place finish at the 2014 Dakar Rally, before switching to the car category.
Ceremonial start
The Manateq Qatar Cross-Country Rally gets underway with a ceremonial start at the iconic Pearl Qatar on Thursday (February 21).
The competitive action then fires into life with a 102km stage on February 22 and that will define the starting order for the first of four further desert selective sections.
The subsequent two timed sections run for 313km and 338km and the fourth is planned for 350km, with a short road liaison of 56km built into the day's timetable.
The fifth and final stage takes place on February 26 and runs for 270km before the ceremonial finish at Pearl Qatar.