Rally driver and sport shooter Nasser Al-Attiyah is looking forward to try his hands on Rallycross next year. The 2012 Olympic bronze medal winner (Men’s skeet) and 9-times Middle East Rally Champion from Quatar has been invited to the 2014 World Rallycross Championship.
“I’ve never tried Rallycross, but it looks really amazing. A lot of action, door-to-door fights and not too long racing distances are good for motorsport fans. Of course I’m accustomed to long distance rallying, like the Dakar, but Rallycross will be a good experience, as it is racing with not just one but six cars. I saw a lot of Rallycross on TV and via YouTube videos and can’t wait to do it myself soon,” said the 42 years old Quatari to ERC24.
Nasser Salih Nasser Abdullah Al-Attiyah, so his full name, and his Poland-based Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini finished what was a near-perfect performance in this year’s FIA Middle East Rally Championship on another high last weekend, as they piloted their Ford Fiesta RRC to overall victory in the Dubai International Rally.
“Of course the coming Rally Dakar is very important for me now, I’m going to do it with a MINI of the German X-Raid team. I want to win this event again. Next year looks very busy. On my schedule is the Middle East Rally Championship as well as five rounds of the World Rally Championship. So, for this moment we are planning to share a Rallycross SuperCar with another driver. However, everything is completely open for now, and we even don’t know yet what car we’ll be driving,” added the 2011 Dakar winner with Volkswagen.
What about Rallycross in the Middle East?
The Middle East region is one of the most developing regions in the World. Al-Attiyah told ERC24 that Rallycross has a promising future here.
“People are tired to go for a Rally up on dunes, they want to stay in buildings with air-condition, or in tents with a good catering service, and then see the action from one spot. This is the future here! The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation is already working on plans for one of the best Rallycross tracks in the World, located in Losail [Losail International Circuit], north of my hometown Doha. We already have a very nice asphalt track there, and also a motocross course. We want to have Rallycross races there, and maybe run a Middle East Rallycross Championship in the future,” stated the 2006 Production World Rally Champion to ERC24 crew member Qba Nitka.
