Qatar International Rally (QA) - 13-15 Apr 05

Posted: June 16, 2005 12:27 PM

Al-Attiyah and Patterson began the final four stages, north of Doha, a mere 56.8 seconds ahead of the UAE's Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi and Ulster co-driver Michael Orr in their Power Horse-sponsored Subaru Impreza WRX STi. The UAE's Sheikh Suhail Bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum held third position in another SBK Group Subaru.

A repeat of each of the Tinbak and Jeri Masad stages was on the agenda and Al-Qassimi had planned to make in-roads into the overnight leader's advantage over the notoriously rough terrain. Al-Attiyah extended his lead by two seconds over the opener, but he damaged the steering near the start of SS8 and Al-Qassimi managed to whittle the lead down to 27 seconds with a mere two stages remaining.

"I began SS8 with a lead of 59 seconds, but we bent the Subaru's steering near the start of the stage and had to drive to the finish with a damaged car," said Nasser. "I dropped 32 seconds."

With two stages remaining Al-Qassimi was running ahead of Al-Attiyah through the early part of the stage, but he sustained a flat tyre and that all but settled the contest in the Qatari's favour. Only a repeat run through the Jeri Masad stage stood in Al-Attiyah's way and he clung on to take a fourth successive regional triumph. Al-Qassimi damaged a ball joint in the final stage and handed the runners-up spot to Al-Maktoum.

"I am delighted to have won my home event again," said Nasser at the finish in Losail. "It was not an easy rally and Khalid made sure that I was under pressure all the time."

"I gave it my best shot and showed that we are closing on Nasser's pace this year," said a disappointed Al-Qassimi. "Now I must go to Jordan and make sure that we keep up the pressure on him and try and take a win there."

Suhail Khalifa Al-Maktoum eventually finished second overall, well clear of Qatar's Khalifa Al-Attiyah in third in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7. Oman's Nizar Al-Shanfari finished his first championship event of the season in fourth, after Qatar's Misfer Al-Marri hit gearbox trouble before the penultimate stage.

Jordan's Amjad Farrah became the first registered driver to benefit from the SupeRally regulations. He restarted in ninth place this morning after suspension problems on Friday and managed to take four championship points for his efforts. Former Group N champion Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi was sixth.

Mike Ziegler and Yousef Al-Kuwari succumbed to mechanical problems on the first stage this morning and Kuwait's Essam Al-Nejadi failed to make the restart in his Proton Wira. Lebanon's Michel Saleh dropped back with turbocharger problems after running as high as sixth place on Friday.

Additional support for the Mitsubishi-backed event came from NK Portakabin, Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Automobiles Company, QNB and the Losail circuit.

This year's event marked the first time that the FIA's SupeRally regulation had been officially imposed on a round of the regional series. It will also be applied again in three weeks time when the competitive action resumes with the Jordan International Rally, round five of the championship, which is bidding to become the Middle East's first ever round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Positions after SS10 (unofficial top 5 @ 13.40 hrs):
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Chris Patterson (GB) Subaru Impreza WRX STi 2h 24m 08s
2. Sheikh Suhail Bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum (UAE)/Ahmad Ghaziri (RL) Subaru Impreza WRX STi 2h 33m 58s
3. Khalifa Al-Attiyah (QA)/Rashid Al-Sulaiti (QA) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7 2h 40m 10s
4. Nizar Al-Shanfari (OM)/Michael Michaelakis (CY) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7 2h 44m 21s
5. Amjad Farrah (HKJ)/Khaled Zakaria (HKJ) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 2h 45m 10s

Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation

• 2005 FIA Middle East Rally Championship