Adrenalin Flows in Countdown to Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Powered by Nissan

The South Grand Stand support pits at Yas Marina Circuit were alive with activity today as rivals and technicians fine-tuned preparations for the start of the Abu Dhabi Desert Obstacle Powered by Nissan tomorrow.

An impressive collection of T1 prototypes, modified production cars and buggies, factory-built very bikes and quads have actually set up in the UAE capital, and job would proceed right into the very early hours to get several of the cross country rally machinery ready for cars.

Flagged off by H.E. Major General Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi, Chairman of the General Authority for Sporting activity, the incredibly special viewer stage begins the activity tomorrow (Saturday) at 3.30 pm on the Grand Prix circuit which has made Abu Dhabi among one of the most acknowledged Solution One locations worldwide over the last nine years.

On Sunday morning the rally starts in earnest when 112 competitors from 28 nations take on the 276km Yas Marina Circuit stage, the very first of 5 competitive sections passing through the dunes and desert levels of the Al Dafrah Region.

To comply with over the next four days are the Nissan (287.92 km), Ain Water (281.38 km), ADNOC (244.49 kilometres) and Abu Dhabi Air travel (218.57 kilometres) phases, ultimately taking the survivors to the surface back at Yas Marina Circuit at 4.30 pm on Thursday.

" This is a fantastic event and everyone aspires to obtain started," said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Automobile Touring Club of the UAE and Emirates Motorsport Federation, the rally organisers. "Right now, the motorists and bikers resemble footballers getting ready for a video game. They get ready for days, the adrenalin accumulates, and you could pick up that as we prepare yourself for the beginning."

Occurring under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Rep in Al Dafrah Region, the Abu Dhabi Desert Obstacle Powered by Nissan is sustained by Al Dafrah Region District, Abu Dhabi Community, the UAE Army, Abu Dhabi Cops, Nissan Middle East, ADNOC, Abu Dhabi Air Travel, Al-Ain Water, National Ambulance Service, Tadweer, Yas Marina Circuit and the Qasr Al-Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara.

The Nissan Patrol is the official car for the event, and a fleet of them have been used by the ATCUAE's course planning team over the last 2 months to put down the affordable route which goes across some of the most requiring desert surface on earth.

This is the producer's 15th consecutive year as title sponsors, and as usual there is a solid Nissan presence in the starting line-up.

Oman's Abdullah Al Zubair will be aiming to capture the T2 production class title in his Nissan Patrol, while a quartet of Nissan Navaras are gone into by UAE-based Tom Bell and Shameer Variawa, Romanian Laurentiu-Claudiu Barbu and South African Terence Marsh.

The Desert Challenge is the 3rd round of this year's FIA World Cup for Cross Nation Rallies for autos and buggies and the opening round of the FIM World Cup for bikes and quads.

Launched in 1991 by Ben Sulayem, a record-breaking rally vehicle driver and currently FIA Vice President for Sport, it was the Middle East's first world champion automobile racing occasion and has an environment all its very own, tempting competitors back time after time.

Amongst its tourist attractions is that Arab competitors and various other local-based enthusiasts share the worldwide stage with the world's best vehicle drivers and motorcyclists and the effective manufacturer-backed teams.

Chasing back-to-back motorists' titles, the UAE's Khalid Al Qassimi is on a Desert Challenge winner list which checks out like a That's Who of world-class cross nation rallying, including Jean-Louis Schlesser, Bruno Saby, Ari Vatanen and Stephane Peterhansel.

Dubai-based protecting bikes champion Sam Sunderland is additionally in very good company. The dominant Peterhansel won the Desert Challenge on two wheels prior to changing to four, as did Cyril Despres (5 times), while Marc Coma (6 times) and Toby Cost are two various other Dakar Rally champions to have actually discovered bikes success in Abu Dhabi.