By Agencies/Doha
Olympic medallist and reigning Dakar Rally champion Nasser al-Attiyah is ready to put his foot down and impress his home crowd at the Sealine Cross-Country Rally. Nasser and co-driver Mathieu Baumel are out to repeat last year’s victorious performance at the five-stage race in Qatar.
There’s no bigger sporting icon in Qatar than Nasser, a two-time Dakar winner and Olympic bronze medallist in skeet shooting. Therefore it’s no surprise that all eyes will be fixed on the Qatari driver when he shows up at the Losail International Circuit for the start of the 2015 Sealine Rally.
This weekend the reigning champion pairing of Nasser and Mathieu will take their MINI ALL4 Racing machine through pre-race scrutineering at the venue of this season’s opening MotoGP race. Once the administrative checks have been passed it will be on with the gruelling 1,750km of racing over rocky, rugged and sandy terrain that characterises this race.
The Qatar Rally Team duo will not only be hoping to capitalise on home support, but also maintain the impressive speed they have been showing this year. A winning run that started with the Dakar in January has stretched through to more recent WRC2 and Middle East Rally Championship events.
The only bump in the road so far has been Nasser and Mathieu’s disqualification from the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge due to a minor violation of their car discovered during post-race scrutineering. The team are currently appealing this decision with the hope that the pair who won four out of five stages will be reinstated as champions.
Meanwhile, Nasser and Mathieu will be out to do what they have been doing all year when they arrive in Qatar – go faster than everybody else. The opposition promises to be tough with former Dakar champion Nani Roma also entered into a fiercely competitive car race at the Sealine Rally. It will take all of Nasser’s skill over the dunes and Mathieu’s brilliant navigational skills to ensure the Qatar Rally Team are celebrating another victory this time next week.
Quotes: Nasser al-Attiyah: “I’m really so happy to start again here in Qatar. It’s my homeland and it gives me a chance to be with my friends and people who have always supported me. I’m planning to drive a strong race and put on a good show for all the fans. Our objective is to win, it’s the same target at each race so expect to see us pushing hard during these five days of competition. I want to reach the finish line and be able to celebrate another victory in my homeland.”
Sports / Sport
Nasser al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel ready for flying start at the Sealine Rally in Qatar
Reigning Dakar Rally champion from Qatar, Nasser al-Attiyah
