Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Racing’s Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi on Thursday became the first Emirati to win the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge since Mohammad Mattar won the two non-championship races in 1991 and 1992.
Al Qasimi capitalised on Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah’s misfortune to secure victory after a battling drive in the cars category.
Dubai-based Briton Sam Sunderland and Kuwait’s Fahad Al Musallam also secured overall triumphs, in the motorcycle and quad categories respectively, after the final dramatic Abu Dhabi Aviation-sponsored stage of 219.76km.
Al Attiyah appeared to be cruising to victory until he rolled his Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux heavily before the opening passage control. Despite continuing for a short while after a long delay, he retired the damaged vehicle.
Al Qasimi and navigator Khalid Al Kendi had put their previous day’s troubles behind them and were pushing hard to the finish to keep the pressure on their rivals. Their indomitability was duly rewarded with a fabulous victory that gives the Abu Dhabi driver a 33-point lead in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies after three rounds.
An elated Al Qasimi will glean many positives from his debut in the Abu Dhabi Racing Peugeot 3008 DKR. Delays on day four aside, he has adapted brilliantly to cross-country rallying in a short space of time and his victory throws the FIA World Cup wide open. His winning margin was 41 minutes and 26 seconds.
“I think this is the first win on an FIA World Cup round for an Emirati in 27 years. This event has been in the series for 25 years and this is also a first for an Emirati,” he said. “I don’t want to be so greedy. I am still learning and for me every day is a learning curve. This is only my fourth or fifth cross-country.
“I am pushing myself to a good level. The team itself, all of us, had a good effort. We had a lot of problems. That’s why they call it cross-country. You keep pushing.
“It is good for myself and for Abu Dhabi. It’s an Abu Dhabi event. It is fantastic for everyone that we won this rally. It’s a big boost winning this rally.”
There was a fascinating battle for supremacy in the motorcycle and quad categories. Honda’s Paulo Goncalves started the last stage with a lead of 33.8 seconds, but starting order is crucial in this form of cross-country rallying and Dakar champion Sam Sunderland delivered a sensational ride on his Red Bull KTM 450 Rally to seal the stage win and earn his first Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge victory.
Starting eighth on the road was an obvious advantage and the Dubai-based rider’s strategy paid off handsomely. Chile’s Pablo Quintanilla bounced back from recent career setbacks to claim second place on his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna — 6 minutes 13.7 seconds behind the winner — and Austrian Matthias Walkner won the battle with Goncalves for third place.
“It feels cool, it’s been a long time coming,” said Sunderland. “This is my home race. I made a good start and it’s been the perfect race for me. It started well but it’s been really hard.
“I knew that I had to push hard this morning to make up the time quickly and that the first section was important. The team has been great, the bike’s been fantastic and it’s a great way to follow up the win in Dakar.”
2017 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge — positions after Leg 5 (Thursday – unofficial):
Cars
1. Khalid Al Qasimi (UAE)/Khalid Al Kendi (UAE) Peugeot 3008 DKR 19hr 16min 24.8sec
2. Martin Prokop (CZE)/Jan Tomanek (CZE) Ford F-150 Evo 19hr 57min 51.1sec
3. Mohammad Abu Eisa (QAT)/Xavier Panseri (FRA) Mini All4 Racing 21hr 29min 02.7sec
4. Khalid Al Feraihi (SAU)/Ali Hassan Obaid (UAE) Nissan Patrol 23hr 37min 58.3sec
5. Yayha Al Helai (UAE)/Nasser Al Kuwari (QAT) Nissan Pick-Up 23hr 47min 42.6sec
6. Mark Powell (GBR)/Quin Evans (GBR) Fast & Speed Buggy 24hr 02min 39.5sec
Bikes
1. Sam Sunderland (GBR) KTM 450 Rally Factory 18hr 14min 32.5sec
2. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI) Husqvarna 450 Rally 18hr 20min 46.2sec
3. Matthias Walkner (AUT) KTM 450 Rally Factory 18hr 22min 48.6sec
4. Paulo Goncalves (PRT) Honda 450 CRF Rally 18hr 25min 42.8sec
5. Pierre Alexander Renet (FRA) Husqvarna 450 Rally 18hr 29min 23.3sec
6. Antoine Meo (FRA) KTM 450 Rally Factory 19hr 23min 33.1sec
7. Mohammad Al Beloushi (UAE) KTM 450 Rally Replica 19hr 45min 06.7sec
8. Mohammad Jaffar (UAE) KTM 450 Rally Replica 21hr 11min 20.5sec
Quads
1. Fahad Al Musallam (KUW) Yamaha Raptor 700R
