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With one more day remaining in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge POWERED by Nissan, Nasser Al Attiyah is firmly on course for his second victory in the event while reigning world champion Marc Coma is within reach of an eighth bikes success in the UAE.
Partnered by French co-driver Mathieu Baumel in his Mini All4 Racing and looking to repeat his cars success of 2008, Al Attiyah won today’s 258km Nissan Patrol special stage from defending champion Vladimir Vasilyev to extend his overall lead to 19min 47secs from the Russian driver in another Mini.
With Dutchman Erik Van Loon another 20 minutes away in third, Britain’s Harry Hunt in a Mini, and Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Poland’s Marek Dabrowski, both driving a Toyota Hilux, complete the top six.
It was a bitterly disappointing day for Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, holding fourth place overnight on his Desert Challenge debut, and fellow-Emirati driver Yahya Al Helei, winner of the first stage on Sunday.
Partnered by Portuguese co-driver Jose Marques in a Toyota Hilux, Al Qassimi retired half way through the stage with a gearbox problem. But after such a strong showing on his first appearance in the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies there could be much more to come.
Al Helei, who had slipped to ninth 24 hours earlier after outpacing the factory cars in his locally-built Nissan Pick-up, rolled early on the stage and then suffered a heavy landing after 35kms. Co-driver Khalid Al Kendi was freed from the car by the medical team and evacuated by helicopter to Madinat Zayed Hospital with back injuries.
By then the reign of Portugal’s Paulo Gonçalves as Desert Challenge bikes champion had already been ended by mechanical problems. The 234kms Abu Dhabi Aviation Special Stage 5 takes the rally to its finish at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, at 4.30pm tomorrow.
“It’s very unfortunate for Sheikh Khalid who was making a strong challenge fort the top three, but that’s rallying,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, the rally organisers. “After winning the first stage Yahya has had a tough time, but we’ve seen two Emirati drivers fighting it out with the best in the world and doing their country proud. Khalid Al Kindi is a top-class co-driver and we hope he makes a full and quick recovery.”
Fittingly, the T2 class winner on the Nissan Patrol stage was Denis Berezovskiy from Kazakhastan in a Nissan Patrol, although the UAE’s Mansour Al Helei - son of Yahya – retained his overall production class lead in another Patrol.
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