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Qatar Rally gets underway as the stage is set for desert showdown

Prior to the podium start, the Qatari trio of Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, Adel Abdulla and Ahmed Al Kuwari, stealed the show in the pre-event press conference.

The competitors strike a happy pose before the ceremonial start.

Bengaluru/Doha, February 22: The Manateq Qatar Cross-Country Rally, which is the opening round of FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, roared into life with a fanfare ceremonial start outside Souq Al-Medina on The Pearl-Qatar.

Prior to the start, the Qatari trio of Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, Adel Abdulla and Ahmed Al Kuwari, defending FIA World Cup champion Jakub Przygonski, Camelia Liparoti, Vladimir Vasilyev and Reinaldo Varela hogged the limelight in the official pre-event press conference on the start podium.

A large crowd of shoppers, tourists and local residents assembled in the Plaza Al Hambra to witness Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) President Abdulrahman Al Mannai and Manateq's CEO Fahad Rashed Al Kaabi joined by Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, Minister of Culture and Sports, to flag off 22 FIA cars, 13 national crews and competitors from 20 nations.

Rally officials also laid on an impressive display of motorcycles in the Plaza that attracted a lot of interest before the start formalities.

Al Attiyah the star

Al Attiyah the star

Al Attiyah is chasing a sixth victory in his home FIA event in eight years.

He said: "It's fantastic to be here with all my closest rivals starting another season of competition. We know each other very well and now is the time for the games to start and the fight to begin."

Good result

Good result

Przygonski, who won the Qatar event with his MINI John Cooper Works Rally in 2018, added:

"I know it will not be easy. but I am sorry to say in front of all the local fans that I am here to beat Nasser. I have a new co-driver and Timo and I want to start the season with as good a result as we can."

New challenge

New challenge

Al Kuwari switched from motorcycles to race a T3 with support from the QMMF and the Qatari is eager to start his new challenge.

"People ask me why I switched from bikes to cars and I say I think there is more of a future to progress in this discipline. Reinaldo (Varela) won the Dakar (SxS) and Adel (Abdulla) is a former T2 World Champion, so I know it will not be easy, and it's great to be here alongside Nasser, a Dakar winner, and Jakub (Przygonski), the defending World Champion."

Competitive action

Competitive action

The competitive action will take place over five days and six special stages, spanning the northern, southern and westerly extremities of the State of Qatar.

Friday's opening timed stage starts 66.34km from the Lusail Sports Arena and runs for 109.76km before a second liaison guides crews back to the service park.

Story first published: Friday, February 22, 2019, 15:29 [IST]
Other articles published on Feb 22, 2019