International competitors have been arriving in Qatar over the past few days to prepare for this weekend’s Qatar International Rally, round two of the 2022 FIA Middle East Rally Championship.
The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has announced minor changes to the format and timetable of the three-day event, in which 14 teams and competitors from 13 nations will tackle 12 tough gravel stages in Qatar’s northern deserts. A national event will also run behind the FIA field.
Meeke ready for the challenge
Andorra-based Ulsterman Kris Meeke is determined to take on 15-time Qatar Rally winner Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and is upbeat about his chances.
I am happy to be back in Qatar. It’s been one year since I have been behind the wheel in competition, which was Qatar Rally 2021. This event intrigues me a little bit. It’s more a desert format style of rallying and certainly not like your traditional European stage rallying.
Kris Meeke
After my foray into the desert at Dakar 2021, I was keen to explore more of the desert, where you use your eyes more to read the terrain. Certainly to go into Nasser Al-Attiyah’s backyard and give him competition is a huge challenge. It’s one I enjoy and, after what we learned last year, I want to go back and put that knowledge to good use. We will see how we get on.
Kris Meeke
I have some ammo in my pocket this year with Chris Patterson. He used to co-drive me many years ago. He also sat with Nasser Al-Attiyah for seven or eight years and has won Qatar Rally several times. I need as much ammo in my pocket as I can to take on Nasser over this terrain. It’s an exciting challenge and Mads (Østberg), my old team-mate and sparring partner at Citroën, is also joining the party, so we are going to have some fun.
Kris Meeke
Østberg’s first desert rally
Østberg is still finalising his 2022 programme and will drive a Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo for the first time. The Norwegian arrived in Qatar on Saturday and will test the Fabia over the coming days as he aims to challenge Meeke and Al-Attiyah.
It will be my target to try and fight with Nasser. I don’t have the experience in Qatar, but I am a fast driver, so we’ll try to learn quickly how it needs to be done.
Mads Østberg
This is a new type of event for me, an open desert rally and different to the normal rallies I do. It will be a lot of fun. And I will be with the new car and a new co-driver, Ilka Minor. A lot of new stuff, but I am happy to be back in rally again and able to challenge Nasser. I know that he can be almost unbeatable. Let’s see how it goes.
Mads Østberg
New shakedown stage
A new shakedown stage on Thursday afternoon replaces the traditional short super special, giving visiting crews more chance to fine-tune their set-ups and offering a strong media opportunity.
The competitive distance therefore drops slightly to 212km, but the six gravel stages, each run twice across Friday and Saturday, are unchanged. Crews can recce them on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Thursday’s shakedown in the Al-Khor area north of Losail runs for two hours from 14.30hrs, before the pre-event press conference (18.45hrs) and ceremonial start (19.30hrs) at the Losail Circuit.