MEDIA INFORMATION
2016 OiLibya Rally of Morocco
FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, round 8
October 1-7, 2016
For immediate release
Thursday, October 6th, 2016
NISSAN’S ADEL HUSSEIN ABDULLA SLIPS TO SECOND PLACE AFTER PENULTIMATE LOOP STAGE OF RALLY OF MOROCCO
ERFOUD (MOROCCO): Nissan’s Adel Hussein Abdulla has it all to do over Friday’s final special stage if he to clinch victory in the FIA T2 category at the 2016 OiLibya Rally of Morocco.
The Qatari, driving a Nissan Patrol with support from Nissan Middle East, Nissan Qatar and the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), ceded his overnight lead to arch rival Yasir Saeidan on the demanding loop stage through the Moroccan deserts around the town of Erfoud and trails the series leader by 15min 30sec heading into the final day.
The Qatari led the category for Series Production Cross-Country Vehicles at the eighth round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies by 2min 09sec at the start of the fourth stage – a 319km section that featured a wide variety of desert terrain to test man and machine to the limit.
But he and French navigator Sébastien Delaunay lost the lead through the opening rocky kilometres to the first passage control check point at 58km and were playing catch up for the rest of the stage until they reached a series of dunes.
Saeidan crossed the finish line in a time of 4hr 29min 39sec to secure the T2 lead, Frenchman Nicolas Falloux was second and Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Harqan was third. Adel Hussein reached the stage finish in fourth in 4hr 45min 02sec.
“One stage to go now,” said Adel Hussein. “The stage today was actually better for me than the one yesterday. I wasn’t feeling comfortable during the first 100km, especially with the dampers, which are nearly standard. I lost a lot of time in those early kilometres and then I came close to the dunes and it was better. Tomorrow is a new day and the last day of the rally. I will push right to the end to try and get back my first position.”
The rally concludes with a punishing 230km selective section through the Erg Chebbi on Friday morning that precedes the ceremonial finish in Erfoud on Friday afternoon.
2016 OiLibya Rally of Morocco – positions after leg 4 (T2 class – unofficial):
1. Yasir Saeidan (SAU)/Alexei Kuzmich (RUS) Toyota Land Cruiser 200 14hr 23min 13sec
2. Adel Hussein Abdulla (QAT)/Sébastian Delaunay (FRA) Nissan Patrol 14hr 38min 43sec
3. Abdullah Saleh (SAU)/Michael Orr (GBR) Toyota Land Cruiser 15hr 22min 09sec
4. Nicolas Falloux (FRA)/Antonia de Roissard (FRA) Toyota Land Cruiser 16hr 24min 22sec
5. Mohammed Al-Harqan (QAT)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) Toyota Land Cruiser 16hr 26min 17sec
Ends