MEDIA INFORMATION
Columna Medica Baja Poland 2016
FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, round 7
August 26-28, 2016
For immediate release
Monday, August 22nd, 2016
NISSAN’S ADEL HUSSEIN ABDULLA HEADS TO NORTH-WESTERN
POLAND TO RESUME FIA T2 CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGE
· Doha-based driver holds second position in T2 series rankings
SZCZECIN (POLAND): Less than two weeks after finishing second in the FIA T2 category at the Hungarian Baja, Nissan’s Adel Hussein Abdulla returns to European rallying action at this weekend’s Columna Medica Rally Poland, round seven of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.
With three rallies left in this year’s FIA World Cup, the pressure is mounting at the top of the championship leader board and the Qatari and French navigator Jean-Michel Polato know that they must try and finish the Szczecin-based event in north-western Poland ahead of series leader Yasir Saeidan before the title race moves to Morocco at the start of October
Running a Nissan Patrol with support from Nissan Middle East and the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), Adel Hussein Abdulla trails his rival by nine points in the FIA T2 rankings and is aiming for the 25 points at stake for winning Poland’s three-day off-road round of the world’s toughest cross-country series.
The event always attracts a strong entry and Adel Hussein is also likely to face a fierce challenge from a strong line-up of Polish drivers, including series contenders Jaroslaw Kazberuk, Mariusz Wiatr and Tomasz Piec.
“This is like any other event in the championship that I have not been to before and I have no real idea what to expect,” said Adel Hussein. “This is my first time in Poland. My rivals have done the event before, so they have experience and knowledge of the terrain. This is not a big problem, because my goal is the same as before and that is to win T2 and reduce the gap to the leader of the championship.
“We have a good set-up and the changes we have made to the car are very positive. Event-after-event, the Nissan Patrol is getting better and better. I’m aiming to push hard and trust the capabilities of my car. I would like to thank Nissan Middle East, Nissan Qatar and the QMMF for their ongoing support.”
Columna Medica Rally Poland is being organised by Foundation Baja Poland and is centred around the Szczecin, Dobra, Drawsko Pomorskie and Zachodniopomorskie areas of northern Poland. The host city of Szczecin is the seventh largest in the country, is a major port near the Baltic Sea and the capital of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Scrutineering checks and administration will tae place at Northeast Marina in Szczecin on Thursday (August 25), before crews will be permitted to carry out a shakedown test at the military shooting range on Friday morning. After the ceremonial start in Szczecin at 17.00hrs on Friday evening, teams will then tackle the opening 6.9km super special stage in the militarised area from 18.00hrs.
Saturday’s action comprises two selective sections of 175km apiece in the military area around Drawsko Pomorskie from 08.20hrs and 13.40hrs.
Sunday’s action consists of two repeat runs through a pair of shorter special stages of 39.50km and 18.20km in length. These Dobra and Lubieszyhn specials will then be repeated at 12.30hrs and 13.20hrs, before the ceremonial finish in the Szczecin Rally Park from 14.30pm. In a total route of 787.68km, teams will tackle a total of 472.30 competitive kilometres.
FIA T2 Cross-Country Rally World Cup – positions after round 6 (unofficial):
1. Yasir Saeidan (SAU) 141 pts
2. Adel Hussein Abdulla (QAT) 132 pts
3. Mohammed Al-Harqan (QAT) 72 pts
4. Jaroslaw Kazberuk (POL) 67 pts
5. Emil Khneisser (LEB) 36 pts
6. Marat Abykayev (KAZ) 30 pts
7. Aleksandr Terentyev (RUS) 25 pts
8. Raul Orlandini (PER) 24 pts, etc
Ends