By Our Correspondent /Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge was flagged off yesterday with the Super Special Stage being held at Yas Marina Circuit to officially launch the 25th anniversary edition of the event.
The 53 riders, including last year’s Desert Challenge winner Paulo Goncalves of Portugal and Spain’s reigning world champion Marc Coma, were first to tackle the 2.4km test in exhibition style on the Grand Prix circuit.
Immediately afterwards the 48 cars and buggies lined up for the anniversary event and went into action against the clock, with Argentina’s Lucio Alvarez, the UAE’s Sheikh Khalid al-Qassimi and Qatar’s Nasser al-Attiyah jointly setting the fastest time. The top ten drivers were then allowed to select their starting position for today’s 262km Yas Marina Circuit Special Stage 1, the first of five demanding desert tests.
Russian driver Vladimir Vasilyev, Portuguese bikes star Paulo Goncalves and Polish quads rider Rafal Sonic are all chasing their places in the record books over the next five days.
In the 25-year history of the event only three drivers - the UAE’s Mohammed Mattar in the first two editions, Jean-Louis Schlesser and Stephane Peterhansel - have successfully defended their title. And if Sonic manages to complete back-to-back wins when the Desert Challenge finishes at Yas Marina Circuit next Thursday afternoon, he will become the first competitor to do so in the
ten-year involvement of quads.
Super Special Stage results
1. Lucio Alvarez / Gabriel Moiset (ARG / SPA) Mini All 4 Racing T1.2 (1 minute 52.0 seconds)
2. Khalid al-Qassimi / JoseMarques (UAE / POR) Toyota Hilux Overdrive T1.1 (1 minute 52.0 seconds)
3. Nasser al-Attiyah / Mathieu Baumel (QAT / FRA) Mini All4 Racing T1.2 (1 minute 52.0 seconds)
4. Erik Van Loon / Wouter Rosegaar (NED / NED) Mini All4 Racing T1.2 (1:53.0)
5. Yazeed al-Rajhi / Timo Gotschalk ( KSA / DEU ) Toyota Hilux Overdrive T1.1 (1:54.0)
6. Orlando Terranova / Bernardo Graue (ARG / ARG ) Mini All4 Racing T1.2 (1:55.0)
7. Marek Dabrowski / Jacek Czachor ( POL / POL ) Toyota Hilux Overdrive T1.1 (1:55.0)
8. Harry Hunt / Andreas Schulz ( GBR / DEU) Mini All4 Racing T1.2 (1:55.0)
9. Nazareno Lopez / Sergio Lafuente ( ARG / URU ) Toyota Hilux T1.1 (1:55.0)
10. Adam Malysz / Rafal Marton ( POL / POL ) Mini All4 Racing T1.1 1:56.0
Qatar’s Nasser al-Attiyah in action during the Super Special Stage at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
