Qatar’s Adel wins Rally of Jeddah

QATAR’S Adel Hussein Abdulla achieved a major breakthrough in his chequered career by winning the Rally of Jeddah held in Saudi Arabia’s western deserts last week.

The Nissan Patrol driver used his experience of competing in this year’s FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies to good use in the two-day event, run as a candidate rally for next year’s inaugural Gulf Challenge.

Adel, aided by French navigator Sebastien Delaunay, finished 10min and 49sec ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Ibrahim Al Muhanna.

Monef Al Salmani, also of Saudi Arabia, finished third.

“It was a very difficult and challenging rally, and probably more difficult than some of the rounds of this year’s FIA World Cup. I’m so happy to win,” said Adel, who has the backing of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation, Nissan Middle East and Nissan Qatar.