Qtel Qatar International Rally
2010 FIA Middle East Rally Championship, round 1
For immediate release
Monday, January 18th, 2010
QTEL QATAR INTERNATIONAL RALLY OFFICIALS
MAKE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES TO 2010 EVENT
· Brand new desert special stages to the south of Doha
· New rally headquarters and service park at Al-Wakra Club
· Thirty five teams set to tackle MERC opener in Qatar
DOHA (Qatar): The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has confirmed significant changes to the route format and timetable for the 2010 Qtel Qatar International Rally, which will get the FIA Middle East Rally Championship underway on January 21st-23rd.
Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah, the President of the QMMF, has announced that the event will now be centred around the deserts to the south of Doha and the Al-Wakra stadium will replace the Losail International Circuit as the venue for the service park and rally headquarters once the special stage action has begun.
“Our team has devised a completely new route with brand new stages this time,” said Al-Attiyah. “That means that the facilities we have at Losail are not close enough to the route and we will use the Al-Wakra stadium for the service park and rally control.”
Scrutineering and documentation formalities will be carried out on Wednesday and Thursday morning at the QMMF offices in Salwa Road, Doha and the rally will start officially on the Doha Corniche on Thursday (January 21st) at 15.30hrs.
Friday’s timed action starts from the Al-Wakra stadium and consists of eight special stages, with the Nabat Lusail and Umm Al Hal specials getting the competitive action underway. There will be a further six special stages on Saturday and the ceremonial finish will take place on the Doha Corniche from 15.09hrs. In a total route of 566.96km, 261.14km will be competitive.
The QMMF have also announced that 35 teams had entered the event when registrations closed last week. The list contains 15 Qatari drivers, seven crews from the United Arab Emirates, six Jordanian teams and other entrants from the UK, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Palestine. Co-drivers from Italy, Ireland and Australia boost the international flavour of the event.
For further information about the 2010 QTEL Qatar International Rally, contact Marie-Lou Cruz, Qatar Motor and Motor Cycle Federation (QMMF), PO Box 8708, Doha, Qatar, Tel: + 974 437 9884/9885, Fax: + 974 437 9761, E-mail: marielou.cruz@qmmf.com.qa and website: www.qmmf.com
Ends
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, International Press Officer, 2010 Qtel Qatar International Rally, UK Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: NDPPublicity@googlemail.com
www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases)
www.qmmf.com
www.merc-fia.com