Dubai: Last year, he brilliantly marshalled his modified BMW X3 through the intimidating sand dunes which define the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge on his way to sealing a convincing victory, and this year Russian Leonid Novitskiy is back with a strong desire to do the same.
The 2011 version of the acclaimed rally which marks the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship season-opener as well as the second round of the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup begins on April 3.
Aside from being the reigning king of Abu Dhabi, Novitskiy is also the current FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup champion, and he admitted his Desert Challenge win in the cars category last year played a pivotal role in helping him eventually win the championship. "Last year the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge was the opening race of the World Cup and it was really important for me to win," the 42-year-old told XPRESS.
"It definitely represented a first and very important step towards winning the World Championship title."
Novitskiy's victory a year ago never looked in doubt as he dominated from start to finish over the gruelling five legs. But with the return of the legendary Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel, who has an unprecedented nine wins in both car and motorcycle categories of the world-renowned Dakar Rally, the Team X-Raid driver is fully aware defending his title over 1,570kms and five days in the Liwa Desert will hardly be a straightforward task.
"I will do my best and I want to repeat last year's victory, but I know that the competition will be even harder this year," said Novitskiy explaining why Abu Dhabi ranks as one of his ‘favourite races'. "Besides amazing conditions that exist for a cross country rally, like sandy tracks and huge dunes, I really appreciate and enjoy the organisation that goes into the event."
Late bloomer
Novitskiy's recent success is all the more overwhelming considering he hasn't been in the sport for too long. "I actually started the sport of rallying quite late, as a hobby, when I was 35-years- old," he revealed. "Previously I was a businessman, but I had always been very interested in sports, especially motorsports. In 2008, I switched to the X-Raid Team. I think the partnership has been very successful, and I am really happy to be with them."
Having completed the Dakar Rally on several occasions, Novitskiy made no secret of his ambition to join Peterhansel and other big rallying names who have won the major event. "Of course, my goal is to win the Dakar one day," he said.
Novitskiy's 2010 results:
- OiLibya Rally of Morocco…… 2nd
- Baja Espana Aragon………… 2nd
- Rally TT Vodafone Estoril-Portimão-Marrakech………… 1st
- OiLibya Rally of Tunisia …………………… 3rd
- Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge………………………… 1st
- Dakar Rally……………………… 11th
