Saudi Rally 2008
FIA Middle East Rally Championship, official candidate event
For immediate release
Thursday, August 28th, 2008
GENEROUS CONCESSIONS ON OFFER TO
OVERSEAS TEAMS FOR NEW SAUDI RALLY
Compact route and rally HQ for new Saudi event
RIYADH (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Arabian Motor Federation (SAMF) is offering generous incentives to GCC and non-Middle Eastern competitors keen to tackle the new Saudi Rally, an official candidate event for the 2009 FIA Middle East Rally Championship, which takes place on November 10th-13th, 2008.
The event is being organised under the patronage of HRH Prince Mohamed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Province, with the full co-operation and support of the sport’s governing body, the FIA, and the regional rallying co-ordinator and Vice-President of the FIA, Derek Ledger.
The exciting new event will be the first international special stage rally ever to be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and will be based in the eastern region of the country at Al-Khubar Half Moon Bay. The rally headquarters, spectator stage and rally accommodation will all be situated close to each other and the special stages have been purpose-built for this type of special stage event. They will be located around 30km from the rally headquarters.
Competitors attending the event from GCC countries will be entitled to seven days at a five-star hotel, with the driver and co-driver sharing accommodation. Flight assistance will be offered in terms of $1000 USD and $500 USD will be paid towards shipping assistance.
Non-GCC teams will be offered seven nights in the hotel on similar terms, $2000 USD towards flight assistance and $1000 USD towards shipping costs, in addition to support with visa formalities.
"We hope that all the regular teams from the FIA Middle East Rally Championship support our first FIA special stage rally," said Mishaal Al-Sudairy, chairman of the organising committee. "We are keen to enter the championship in 2009 and follow on from the successes of the Hail Saudi Baja with a new event in the regional rallying calendar."
Technical scrutineering for the new Saudi Rally will take place on Tuesday, November 11th and the two days of competitive action will be on Wednesday, November 12th and Thursday, November 13th.
Further information about the event is available from the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation, PO Box 87881, Riyadh 11652, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tel: + 9661 477 1035, Fax: + 9661 477 1050 and from Hamood Al-Jabry, Mobile: +966 560 623436, E-mail:aljabry@samf.gov.sa, www.samf.gov.sa
Ends
For further media information:
Neil Perkins, 2008 Saudi Rally International Press Officer, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@compuserve.com. www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).