Qatar’s Al-Attiyah and Poland’s Dabrowski set quickest times in car and motorcycle
LUSAIL (QATAR): Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Polish junior rider Konrad Dabrowski set the quickest times in the car and motorcycle categories through the opening 9.20km Qualifying Stage of the Qatar International Baja on Thursday afternoon.
A time of 5min 11.8sec ensured that Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel were the early leaders of the second round of the FIA Middle East Cup for Cross-Country Bajas. The defending Dakar champion guided the latest specification Toyota Hilux to a 4.3-second lead over Toyota team-mate Yazeed Al-Rajhi.
“A good start because it was not easy in a narrow place,” said Al-Attiyah. “I think we did a good job without any mistakes. Tomorrow will be much faster. Maybe it’s better for me to start first. I don’t want to be behind the Can-Am. Maybe it will be more dusty. We will see.”
Al-Rajhi added: “Happy we finish because the car switch off a few times. I think electric problem. But we only lose 4.3 seconds. We pushed very well. We continue to push. Most important for me is to enjoy. That’s why I came here.”
Dabrowski, the son of former cross-country rider and driver Marek, stopped the clocks in 6min 01.3sec to lead the motorcycle and junior categories on his Husqvarna FR450. With the time multiplied by a coefficient of four, the Pole headed into the night halt on the second round of the FIM Bajas World Cup with a comfortable lead and the choice of a favourable starting position for Friday.
Emirati Mohammed Al-Balooshi finished second and Great Britain’s Maki Rees-Stavros rounded off the top three. Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Shatti and Jordanian Abdullah Abu Aishah set the fourth and fifth fastest times, while Poland’s Joanna Modrzewska was the leading female rider in 14th.
Defending Qatar Baja champion Al-Balooshi said: “This is one of the toughest events you can tackle on a bike. The navigation is exceptionally difficult, especially when you are competing against the clock. I should know, I’ve had good results and I’ve also been evacuated by helicopter in the past. Riders will also need to be very careful on Friday when we do the second stage after the cars. There are sure to be ruts and tracks in the softer places and that will make it even more tricky for the bikes.”
Andorra-based Ulsterman Kris Meeke began his campaign strongly in a Nasser Racing-entered Can-Am and teamed up with Frenchman François Cazalet to record the third quickest time in the car section to hold third overall and first in the FIA T3 category. Former WRC team-mate and desert debutant Dani Sordo finished fifth overall and second in T3.
“I have never been in this situation where all the categories are linked together,” said Meeke. “I had half an idea that I would be ninth or 10th fastest, which means you are opening the road. I didn’t want to end up playing the game. Today was totally different to what we can expect tomorrow. Today we made pace notes, so it was half a rally stage, half a cross-country stage. I did the whole Dakar in an open car. The temperatures today were not so bad. I enjoyed it. The South Racing Can-Am is so nice. It’s balanced and everything works correctly.”
