Abu Dhabi Racing will boost its presence in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship next year as part of an ongoing drive to create more opportunities for Emirati drivers in international motor sport.

Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, who powered his way into an early lead today in the Dubai International Rally, final round of this year’s regional series, will spearhead a seven-car Abu Dhabi Racing challenge in the 2014 Middle East Championship starting in Qatar in January.

Al Qassimi, the Abu Dhabi Racing chairman, told the official pre-event press conference in Dubai that plans for 2014 also include the staging of an international rally in the UAE capital towards the end of the year.

After three of today’s six special stages on the first leg of the 35th Dubai International Rally,
Al Qassimi, partnered by British co-driver Scott Martin in his Abu Dhabi Citroën Total DS3
RRC, led by 2.1 seconds from Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah.

Abu Dhabi Racing was launched last December when Al Qassimi announced a five-year partnership with eight-times WRC manufacturers’ champions Citroën Racing.

This Citroën Abu Dhabi Total World Rally Team finished runners up in this year’s WRC series, while Al Qassimi contested eight selected WRC events with the Abu Dhabi Citroën Total WRT.

In this year’s Middle East Championship he has spearheaded an Abu Dhabi Racing team also featuring four young Emirati drivers.

Mohammed Al Sahlawi and Mohamed Al Mutawaa have also made their WRC debuts this season in a pair of identical Abu Dhabi Citroën DS3 R3 2WDs.

They are in action this weekend in the 35th Dubai International Rally, as are Bader Al Jabri and Majed Al Shamsi who completed this season’s Abu Dhabi Racing driver line-up in the Middle East Championship in two Subaru N15s.

In October, Abu Dhabi Racing launched a partnership with the National Health Insurance Company – Daman to establish a driving academy which will groom young Emiratis to become professional racing drivers.

The first batch of seven UAE Nationals selected for the Daman Speed Academy immediately began an eight-month training programme based at Yas Marina Circuit.
 

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