Dado Clinched yet another title this year, and was dominant again. His performance was outlined by scoring amazing laps on his second run. As you will read below Abdo has a lot to say about this season and will highlight some of the issues that were witnessed in this special Speed Test season.
Can you sum up for us your 3 speed test wins, and are you happy with your performance?
I am happy with my performance although I never nailed it from the first attempt. For sure I am very happy because good drivers really achieve under pressure. What was happening to me was that was being put under big pressure ahead of my final run in all 3 competitions and I was able to perform. I used to finish the first run 2nd or 5th or 7th at one point and then I come back to score a timing of 10 to 12 seconds faster than everyone.
Last time you used normal road tyres?
No I didn’t, but I was willing to use road tyres, but I lost a transfer on the first run and the car became RWD so I had to hit a couple of cone. I didn’t want to take big risks in the second run so I stayed on race tyres.
All drivers know who is Abdo and what package does Abdo have and how good he can perform. There is another issue I would like to point which I pointed out earlier on your website, about the new regulation by ATCL. The regulation would forbid me from participating in speed test if I won the championship. Well, we were upset at the beginning of the year but now I think it is fine. This way I get 3 extra weekends with my family. After all this is a passion and participating in such competitions is for the fans that enjoy show. Even fellow drivers are against this regulation. They say that if Abdo is not there, who will they compare themselves to.
We saw 25 participants with a big lack of spectators. Every single driver has around 10 family members of friends that are accompanying him. This is not a Speed Test anymore. This competition was done for many amateurs to compete. We started with 50 or 60 cars; it’s a shame now that we have reached 25 cars. I hope that ATCL will reconsider this issue, not for Abdo Feghali only, but for drivers like me, Garo, Feras Khaddaj, Elie Hage and many others. If these drivers are not there, who will watch the race? After all, Abdo Feghali’s car is not coming from the moon. Abdo’s car is under homologation and all the required rules; 1100 KG, 2 liter engine… I don’t have a WRC car. We have to work on lifting up the level. If Abdo Feghali or Roger Feghali or even Sebastian Loeb doesn’t participate, this does not mean a good thing, this means that the level has decreased.
What are you preparing for ROL?
We are working on Roger’s EVO 9. If things work out we will participate.
Videos and Photos by Elie Hajj and Khaled Karam.
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