Abu Dhabi Racing Team's Participation in the 2013 Middle East Rally Championship
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, January 24, 2013: Dr. Mohammed Ben Sulayem confirmed that the participation of the five drivers from the Abu Dhabi Racing Team in the 2013 Middle East Rally Championship, starting tomorrow (Thursday) in Qatar, represents a significant boost for the regional series.
A New Era Begins
Ben Sulayem sees the Qatar International Rally as the starting point for a new era for the Middle Eastern series, which this year features three simultaneous championships:
- A championship for Group N cars
- A championship for young drivers
- A championship for two-wheel drive vehicles
Additionally, there is a "T3" category for two- and four-wheel drive "Baja" vehicles.
Enhancing the Championship's Popularity
After persuading the World Motor Sport Council to restructure the championship to enhance its popularity, he expressed confidence that the Emirati team, consisting of five drivers from Abu Dhabi Racing, participating in this year’s championship can significantly attract young driving talent to the series.
Ben Sulayem's Remarks on Developments in Motorsports
Ben Sulayem, President of the Emirates Automobile Club, who will attend the events of the Qatar International Rally, the first round of the Middle East Rally Championship, stated:
"This is an extremely positive and significant development for both UAE and Middle Eastern motorsports."
He added:
"One of the main objectives behind establishing the Abu Dhabi Racing Team was to create greater opportunities for young Emirati drivers to compete in global motorsport championships, and undoubtedly, this step enhances what we are trying to achieve by reviving and renewing the spirit of competition."
Driver Participation
He continued, "With five Emirati drivers participating and the support of a professional team, I am confident this will elevate the championship and attract more emerging Arab drivers, while also helping to draw in sponsors and restore their support as it once was."
Leading the Abu Dhabi Racing Team challenge is Sheikh Khalid Al Qubaisi, alongside Majid Al Shamsi and Badr Al Jabri, who compete in the Group N category, while Mohammed Al Mutawaa and Mohammed Al Sahli compete in the two-wheel drive category.
Tracking System for the Qatar International Rally
The Qatar International Rally, which kicks off tomorrow morning (Friday), employs a sophisticated tracking system designed to prevent drivers from deviating from the rally course. This system was implemented in the previous round of the Dubai International Rally and proved highly successful. It will be adopted for all rounds of the Middle East Rally Championship this year.
Through tracking devices installed in the rally cars, the path of the vehicles can be monitored, and any vehicle that strays more than ten meters from the designated route will face point deductions as a penalty.
The new tracking system was developed to ensure a fair race for all competitors, with revised penalty points compared to those applied in recent years, allowing violators to continue racing instead of being forced to withdraw from the competition.
