Baja Format Gives Rallying Bright new Future in UAE

Rallying is moving towards a brilliant new future in the UAE, with a 2nd World Cup cross nation occasion now added to the national automobile racing schedule and relocates to bring in one more generation of competitors gathering speed.

The 2017 Dubai International Baja, occurring in the Al Qudra desert from 9-l1 March, is a key part of strategies by the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE to infuse new life into the sporting activity by developing a more economical and desert-friendly style.

Having actually begun this process four years ago with the launch of the Emirates Desert Champion, the ATCUAE has actually taken another big advance by developing a new Baja World Cup occasion and functioning closely with the FIA, motor sport's world controling body, to advertise and create the baja rally brand.

Lionel Carre, FIA Technical Delegate for Cross Country Rallies, visited the UAE last week to function together with the national motor sport authority in assisting rivals plan for the nation's two World Cup occasions, with a key emphasis on safety and security.

Happening under the patronage of H.H.Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, the Dubai International Baja is the 2nd round of this year's FIA World Cup for Cross Nation Rallies for cars and trucks and buggies and the opening round of the FIM Baja World Cup for bikes and quads.

Based at the spectacular Bab Al Shams Resort & Spa, it will certainly be complied with on 1-7 April by the 27th edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Obstacle, part of the FIA World Cup series and the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Champion. Gone along with by ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Carre went to a variety of workshops and oriented competitors and mechanics, with an unique emphasis on making sure buggies are properly developed and upgraded to FIA criteria to complete in the Baja World Cup T3 classification.

" Our prime concern, as constantly, is safety and security," said Sulayem. "We should guarantee that all vehicles entering into World Cup events have roll cages, gas tanks, brand-new requirements fire extinguishers and seat belts satisfying the highest FIA security requirements.

" We're planning to bring in a new wave of rivals. A good number have already been brought in to competitive motor sport by the Desert Champion due to the fact that it's even more competitor pleasant and affordable.

" The Dubai International Baja takes this to an additional level with two days of desert rallying and the possibility to share a World Cup phase with rivals from overseas, and security is top concern.

" This is an excellent opportunity for young Emirati and expatriate drivers to build on their experience, and we want much more to follow them right into cross country rallying. For the sporting activity to be sustainable we need to have solid local competitor assistance, and we require local champions in order to help attract more young ability."

The Emirates Desert Champion was made to capitalise on the nation's amazing all-natural possessions for the hosting of cross nation events. Making the sport available to buggies, bikes and quads along with vehicles, the brief training course champion events operate on Friday mornings have been extremely effective, with entries commonly swelling to more than 100.

It has actually been a highly positive new trend following the decrease in recent years of typical rallying, and the new Dubai International Baja is a natural successor to the Dubai International Rally, which outgrew the sporting activity's pioneering days in the 1970s. Also supported by Dubai Sport Council, Dubai Authorities and Dubai Civil Defence, the Dubai International Baja has been added to the FIA World Cup collection after the ATCUAE's success in organizing a candidate occasion in the Al Qudra desert in December.

Caption: ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem with Lionel Carre, FIA Technical Delegate for Cross Country Rallies, and ATCUAE General Manager Ronan Morgan.