Abu Dhabi, UAE: Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah and Mohammed Abu Issa will both be targeting their second victories in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge powered by Nissan which returns for its 25th anniversary edition later this month.
The event has attracted one of the most powerful international competitor line-ups in its history, including three reigning world champions, Russian driver Vladimir Vasilyev, brilliant Spanish rider Mark Coma and Polish quads star Rafal Sonik
They head an entry list of 162 competitors from 36 countries announced today by the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, the Desert Challenge organisers.
Vasilyev, who scored victory in Abu Dhabi last year on his way to winning the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies, returns to defend his title alongside co-driver Konstantin Zhilstov in one of eight X-Raid-entered minis.
They are among 50 car crews going into action in the 25th Desert Challenge, which gets under way with an afternoon super special spectator stage at Yas Marina Circuit on March 28.
Among those aiming to beat defending champion Vasilyev to the cars title is 2008 winner Al Attiyah, who scored his second Dakar Rally success in January and has since notched successive Middle East Rally Championship wins on home territory and in Kuwait.
In the battle of the quads, the biggest threat to world champion Sonik could be posed by Qatari
Abu Issa, the rider the Pole succeeded as Desert Challenge champion last year.
Coma, who secured the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship for a sixth time last year and in January scored his fifth Dakar Rally triumph, will be looking to take his KTM to an eighth Desert Challenge success.
“We’re delighted to have a total of 162 drivers, co-drivers, bike and quad riders from around the world for the 25th edition of the Desert Challenge, and the overall quality of entries underlines the status the event enjoys,” said ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the rally founder.
“So many of these competitors return to the UAE year after year, and there is a great spirit between all of them, with world champions and local private entrants sharing the stage, and supporting and encouraging each other. I’m proud that the rally has developed in this way.”
The Nissan Patrol, the “Hero of All terrain in Life”, is positioned for the 12th year as the official vehicle of the Desert Challenge.
While the super special stage on Saturday week will be a big draw for spectators, the main action takes place over five spectacular desert stages that follow, cutting through the intimidating dunes and sabkha plains of the Western Region of Al Garbia.
Aiming to become the fourth Arab driver to find victory in the event is Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi, who must hold serious hopes of a big result in the UAE after his superb Dakar Rally debut when he held third place before retiring two stages from the end.The Peninsula
