LUSAIL, QATAR – Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini overcame four flat tyres and a dramatic morning to hold a slender 5.6-second lead after Friday’s six desert stages at the Qatar International Rally.
Punctures were common throughout the field, adding nerves and caution to the leaders’ strategies, but Al-Attiyah emerged in front in his Autotek Volkswagen Polo GTI after a pulsating day across Qatar’s northern deserts.
It has been a tough day for everyone. We have had a lot of punctures. The terrain is very rough. But, okay, still we are leading and now we must push tomorrow. It is a little bit smoother tomorrow but the speed is very high.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
Pierre-Louis Loubet and Loris Pascaud belied their lack of desert experience and, despite punctures, are well placed in second in their SRT Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.
It was possible to get some time back but we had a puncture on the second stage of the loop. Again, it was a lot of time lost but it is quite difficult for everyone. Let’s continue and avoid the puncture. Maybe a little bit smoother tomorrow.
Pierre-Louis Loubet
Overnight leaders Mads Østberg and Patrik Barth were fastest, winning five of six stages, but a two-minute puncture stop on stage three and a 15-second fencing penalty left them third, 33.3 seconds behind.
We had a bit of a push, for sure. It is a strange rally because you also have to avoid punctures. This is part of the game. For that, I think, we have managed really well the afternoon. We had just a slow puncture on the first stage after service and no big time loss. We are fighting back in the rally and it looked a bit darker at lunch. But now it is 18 seconds. We have caught back one and a half minutes! So that’s not bad. Today was the day that I struggled last year. Tomorrow will be the first day from last year. That’s where we had a really good time and enjoyed it the most so I hope that this good feeling will help us tomorrow.
Mads Østberg
QMMF-backed Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari and James Fulton avoided punctures and, at a cautious pace, the 2012 winner was fourth in his Sarrazin Volkswagen Polo GTI.
The whole rally, no flat tyres. I am driving a little bit safe trying to learn the car more. I am happy. I don’t have the confidence from when I was driving a lot. Not far from the leader. We had some issues with dust and we lose the road a little on the second stage of the second loop. But, in general, I am happy.
Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari
Abdullah Al-Rawahi and Ata Al-Hmoud suffered two afternoon punctures but improved their pace on the second loop to hold fifth in their Autotek Škoda.
I’m happy to be back here (Lusail), especially with two punctures. The second loop was much better in terms of pace but we were just unlucky with the punctures. I had one in the last four kilometres of the last stage and one on the second one (SS6). Nasser and Loubet had a puncture, I think, at the same place on a jump.
Abdullah Al-Rawahi
Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya and Ziad Chehab were sixth. Jordan’s Shaker Jweihan and Mustafa Juma led MERC2 in seventh, 2min 27.7sec ahead of Lebanon’s Ahmad Khaled and Sami Sfeir, with Husam Salim and Nancy Al-Majali ninth and Shadi Shaban and Samer Issa 10th.
Friday as it happened
Six crews, including Al-Atya and Shaban, received small penalties for hitting cones on Thursday’s super special. Al-Attiyah won the opening 15.32km Waab Al-Mashrab stage in 8min 43.6sec despite a slow puncture, with Loubet 18.2 seconds back on his first desert stage. On Al-Waab (15.33km), Al-Attiyah set 7min 24.1sec to lead by 35.5 seconds, while Østberg lost two minutes changing a wheel and Khalid Al-Suwaidi stopped with electrical issues.
Al-Attiyah reached midday service 17.8 seconds ahead after Umm Birka (21.38km), driving on a slow puncture, with Loubet second, Al-Kuwari third and Al-Rawahi fourth.
I am happy and lucky to lead. First stage, we had a puncture and then we manage. Then we had a slow puncture on the last stage. We are here. Now we try to push in a good way. All the three cars at the front have had punctures. The wind is actually good. It’s helping.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
In the afternoon, Al-Attiyah punctured again on the Waab Al-Mashrab re-run as Loubet cut the gap to 10.8 seconds, then was 20 seconds slower on the second Al-Waab pass, leaving Loubet 6.3 seconds behind. Østberg’s fastest times lifted him to third, but a 15-second fencing penalty on the final Umm Birka stage left him 33.3 seconds adrift, as Al-Attiyah punctured once more but held on.
Saturday features two passes through Al-Khor (16.90km), Ras Laffan (15.93km) and Al-Thakhira (13.48km) before the ceremonial finish at Lusail Boulevard from 18:30.