LUSAIL, QATAR – Italy’s Giovanni Bernacchini was officially confirmed as Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah‘s co-driver during Tuesday’s administrative checks for this weekend’s Qatar International Rally at the Lusail Sports Arena. Twenty-three crews from 17 nations will contest the opening round of the 2024 FIA Middle East Rally Championship.
Bernacchini replaces Andorra-based Mathieu Baumel, Al-Attiyah’s partner since the start of 2015. Baumel, who learned his trade in the MERC with Khalifa Al-Attiyah, Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Abdullah Al-Kuwari, won four Dakars, two W2RC titles, 30 MERC rallies and nine regional FIA championships with Al-Attiyah.
Fifty-year-old Bernacchini last partnered Al-Attiyah in 2014, when he won his fourth Qatar International Rally after 2010, 2011 and 2013. His 25 MERC wins equal Chris Patterson, behind record-holder Ronan Morgan (41) and Baumel (32). He will co-drive in all five rounds.
It’s not a new challenge with Giovanni. He was with me for a long time and we won the championship together several times. This year I decided to have him again. For me, it was not really working like what I wanted with Mathieu. Still, we have a good relationship and now he is free. I also have my decision for the next co-driver for the Dakar and cross-country (Edouard Boulanger).
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
At the moment I don’t know if we will do some more rallies. We will do Middle East and, in the event of the sponsor Visit Qatar, I think they want to have three or four race in WRC, maybe WRC2. Maybe Portugal, Sardinia, Greece, basically the ones that I like. We will also be very busy with the new programme of Dacia.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
After several months with the cross-country car, this morning the car felt very slow. I did 30km of testing this morning and I adjust myself and we changed a lot of things, just to be sure and to make a good start for the Qatar Rally.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
It is a pleasure for me to come back after 10 years with Nasser. We won four times here together and I really hope that this new adventure after 10 years can be as successful. It’s something surprising me in a very good way but I really hope our agreement can bring back the same victories. When I left Nasser, I still tried to win some races in the Middle East. Now I have the chance again. I really hope to increase my number of victories.
Giovanni Bernacchini
Last year Bernacchini partnered Al-Attiyah’s cousin Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya to fifth in Oman and sixth in Qatar, and he has also co-driven in the region for Khalid Al-Suwaidi, Rashed Al-Ketbi and Roger Feghali.
Final preparations
Al-Attiyah, Mads Østberg, Pierre-Louis Loubet and Mārtiņš Sesks – the latter three in Sports Racing Technologies Škoda Fabia RS Rally2s – tested north of Doha on Tuesday morning. Loubet, partnered this season in WRC2 by Loris Pascaud, a member of his gravel crew for two seasons, sees Qatar as valuable acclimatisation. He took five stage wins in an Apache SSV at the Africa Eco Race in early January and commentated for Canal+ Sport at the Monte-Carlo Rally. Sesks recently tested a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 in Finland and Østberg was involved in testing for Norway’s Sigdalsrally.
Wednesday’s reconnaissance covers the 12 gravel stages. Waab Al-Mashrab is similar to 2023, with new middle sections in Al-Waab and Umm Birka. Al-Khor has a new start and runs in reverse, Ras Laffan has a new start and finish, and Al-Thakhira has a short change near the end. The rally starts from Lusail Boulevard, followed by the super special at the LCSC Karting Academy from 20:00, with light rain possible on Thursday and blustery weather forecast for Friday and Saturday.