Sports Reporter/Doha

QMMF chief Nasser Khalifa al-Attiyah (C) poses with Qatar team riders at the Losail International Circuit yesterday
Qatar Endurance Racing Team (QERT) rider Anthony West exuded confidence on the eve of the 8 Hours of Doha, saying he would give his best shot despite not having much experience in this format of racing.
“This is almost a new experience for me,” West told reporters yesterday. “Several years ago I took part in a 7 hour race in Japan. However, being with the Qatar team I have learned a lot,” he added.
The Australian said the team staff had done an excellent job with the bikes and they were looking forward to tackling the tough Losail International Circuit
“Losail is a nice track with fast corners but it is also a very physical track as there are a lot of corners. It gives you no time to relax.”
Qatar will be fielding two teams in the Superstock category, and West’s teammate Nasser al-Malki added he has a lot of confidence in himself as well as his team mates.
“This is going to be a tough race but we have been practicing well and the confidence is very high. We will work out a nice strategy to win the race,” al-Malki, who was busy with the Spanish moto2 championship, told reporters.
This is the sixth time the event is held at the Losail International Circuit.
Nina Prinz, the female German rider on the QERT 95 team, thanked the Qatar Motor and Motorcyle Federation (QMMF) for supporting her and giving her the opportunity to take part in the 8 Hours of Doha.
“This is a very tough event but I hope that the team will be able to produce a good result,” Prinz said. “I’ve trained a lot in the extremely hot temperatures of Qatar and I hope to finish the race.
“I thank QMMF president Nasser Khalifa al-Attiyah for giving me this opportunity,” she added.
Elena Rossel, another female rider on the QERT 96 team, said she is excited to be part of the QMMF set-up.
“I am very happy to have been given this opportunity to take part in the 8 Hours of Doha Endurance race. I have taken part in the Catalunya 24 Hours before this,” the QMMF moto2 rider said.
After qualifying today, the 8 Hours of Doha will begin at 5pm tomorrow and finish at 1am the next day.
Meanwhile, the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) has signed up Yukio Kagayama, who kept the crowd on the edge of their seats at the last Suzuka 8 Hour race, to support Vincent Philippe, now healthy again after breaking his collarbone at the Bol d’Or, and Anthony Delhalle. And for good measure, Monster Energy Yamaha YART has given its crew a boost by signing Noriyuki Haga. The Japanese Yamaha rider, who is riding in British Superbike this year, will be joining Igor Jerman and Gwen Giabbani.
While SERT and Monster Energy Yamaha YART will be keen to get the best preparation for the Suzuka 8 Hour race in July, team Honda TT Legends is without key riders who are tied up with the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man until 8 June. While John McGuinness is trying to clinch a 16th victory in the TT, in Doha the official Honda will be ridden by Ryuichi Kiyonari, winner of the two last editions of the Suzuka 8 Hour race, British Superbike regular Michael Laverty and BSB Superstock 1000 rider Jason O’Halloran. Jason O’Halloran finished 6th at the Suzuka 8 Hours in 2008 but Michael Laverty is an Endurance rookie.
Two other factory garages with victory chances are sticking with their usual rider line-up. Yamaha France GMT 94 Michelin Yamalube, winners of the  Doha 8 Hours 2011, are fielding David Checa, Kenny Foray and Matthieu Lagrive. And BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent, with Sébastien Gimbert, Erwan Nigon and Damian Cudlin, will be more fired up than ever after a crash forced them out of the Bol d’Or.
One of the Qatari riders, Saeed al-Sulaiti, said that being with the QMMF set up has given him plenty of opportunities to develop his skills as a rider and that he would try to do his best in the race.
QMMF chief al-Attiyah on his part thanked the riders for their participation and had a special word of praise for the female riders in the team. He also thanked the FIM’s women’s commission for its support.