Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi returns for the penultimate round of the 13-stage World Rally Championship (WRC) in Spain this weekend with Team Citroen Total Abu Dhabi.
The Emirati rally driver has competed in rounds two, four and six in Sweden, Portugal and Italy this season, before turning his attentions to the Middle East Rally Championship, where he is currently second after five of six stages.
But now he’s back in the fold at the Rally Catalunya in Tarragona, the WRC series’ only mixed-surface round, which goes from one day on gravel on Friday two stages on tarmac on Saturday and Sunday.
“I love the type of tarmac stages you get at Rally Espana,” said Al Qasimi. “But if the roads are wet, it can become an entirely different challenge.
“On the other hand, Friday’s leg isn’t one of my favourites on gravel. I might need a bit of time to get my bearings.”
Kris Meeke and Mads Ostberg will also be representing the team in Spain, while the UAE’s Mohammad Al Mutawa competes in the WRC3 support championship.
“It’s a rather specific challenge,” said team principal Yves Matton of the double surface. “The main difficulty lies in converting our DS3 WRCs at the end of day one.
“This rally requires specific preparations and the demands in terms of logistics are more significant here. Each of the drivers must also be capable of adapting to this change in road surface. We work on the parts that need to be changed and the set-up, but a large part of the adaptation comes down to the crews.”
