Emirati Drivers Kick-Start FIA Middle East Rally Championship in Qatar

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 23 January, 2013: Five Emirati drivers are hoping to kick-start their FIA Middle East Rally Championship campaigns at this weekend’s Qatar International Rally by mirroring the all-conquering regional exploits by the UAE national football team in the Gulf Cup of Nations.

Drivers and Their Goals

With Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, the 2004 regional champion, spearheading the Abu Dhabi Racing effort in the main regional series, the following drivers are also participating:

• Majed Al Shamsi
• Bader Al Jabri
• Mohammed Al Mutawaa
• Mohammed Al-Sahlawi

Al Jabri summed up the young drivers’ mood in the wake of the UAE’s Gulf Cup victory: “It was a fantastic achievement by our footballers, and we want to build on that with strong performances in Qatar to keep the spotlight on our country’s sporting achievements,” he said.

Background of the Drivers

Products of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority’s Junior Driver Training Programme, established five years ago, Al Jabri and Al Shamsi have extensive experience in rallying:

1. Contested the regional championship and select English rallies in 2008.
2. Embarked on a three-year World Rally Championship excursion from 2009.
3. Finished third and sixth in the inaugural 2WD WRC Ford Fiesta International Sporting Trophy (FiST) season.

In 2010, stepping up to more powerful 1600 cc cars in the FiST championship, Al Jabri was runner-up and Al Shamsi finished fourth. In 2011, they progressed to the Production Car World Rally Championship and narrowly missed out on top ten standings finishes.

Current Season Details

Both drivers will pilot identical Subaru N15 rally cars this season:

• Al Shamsi: Partnered by Irish co-driver John Higgins
• Al Jabri: Joined by Frenchman Nicholas Clinger

Completing the Abu Dhabi Racing line-up in Qatar, Al-Sahlawi and Al Mutawaa face competitive debuts in a pair of Citroën DS3 R3 2WDs. They topped a pool of 13 UAE drivers in an intense, Citroën Racing-supported three-day selection programme in Abu Dhabi last December, with:

• Al Mutawaa: Supported by Irish co-driver Stephen McAuley
• Al-Sahlawi: Supported by Alan Harryman

Path to Rallying

Moving into rallying after impressive performances in karting and circuit racing, Al Mutawaa has notable achievements:

• Represented the UAE in the HSBC Racing Academy in 2007.
• Was Rookie of the Year in the 2008-09 UAE RMC and DAMC championship.
• Achieved 14 sprint race wins in the Sodi World Series Karting, ranking 11th in the world.
• Won six out of eight races in the 2010-11 GT3/4 Corvette UAE GT Championship, becoming Vice Champion.
• Claimed the GT4 Class title in the first-ever Gulf 12 Hour Race in 2012.
• Became the first Arab to be accepted into the FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy.

Al-Sahlawi is in his first season of competitive action after gaining experience in karting sessions and track days at Dubai Autodrome and Yas Marina Circuit, as well as desert driving in a self-built truck. Despite being the least experienced member of the Abu Dhabi Racing team, he impressed the judges during the selection event organized by Citroën Racing, Abu Dhabi Racing, and Yas Marina Circuit.