With the completion of the pre-event shakedown this morning in Jyvaskyla, Finland, the preparations are now complete as the Abu-Dhabi partnered BP-Ford World Rally Team prepares for the start of the 2007 Neste Oil Rally Finland.
The event marks the debut in the championship for Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates. Its programme in the FIA World Rally Championship is driven by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) as part of a far-reaching initiative to establish the emirate as a premier destination for leisure, commerce and business. Director of Product Development for the ADTA, Ahmed Hussein, was present to witness the final preparations for the team in the run-up to the start of the event at the Killeri spectator stage this evening.
“This is a memorable day for everyone in Abu Dhabi and it was an amazing experience to see the Abu Dhabi name powering between the pine trees surrounding Jyvaskyla” said Hussein.
Not only was Hussein able to see the team in action, both in the service area and on the shakedown stage, he was able to experience the challenges of the event first-hand, as he took a passenger ride over the stage.
“I’d already been in the Ford Focus RS rally car in the UK but this was something else altogether,” said Hussein. “The thing that surprised me the most were the number of spectators in the stage – there were thousands of people in there. It was a very proud moment, to be part of one of the first public appearances of Abu Dhabi in the WRC.”
Not only does this weekend’s event mark the debut for Team Abu Dhabi in the WRC, it also sees the first appearance for Abu Dhabi’s rally ambassador, Sheikh Khalid AlQassimi, the current leader of the Middle East Rally Championship. Sheikh Khalid will be representing the emirate on four of the remaining eight rounds of the championship and despite joining on one of the most demanding events, is relishing the challenge.
“It was quite difficult to begin with this morning, as I’d had little time in the car. However, I used the time to start to learn how to drive the car and I gained confidence with every kilometre. I’m the kind of driver who is generally better the second time over a stage and this was very much the case today.
“I was one of the first drivers on the stage, as I wanted to see how the car behaved on smooth roads with a covering of gravel. I then went out later when the road was cleaner but beginning to get rutted, as these are the conditions I will face over the weekend with my road position. I tried different suspension and transmission options and am happy with the settings for the car to start the event.
“I also tried entering corners deliberately in the wrong gear, for example, to see how the car would react to different situations and how I should adapt my driving style to it, which was very beneficial. I’m incredibly excited about starting the event tonight at the superspecial stage. I don’t feel any pressure as such and I know that once the stages begin, I will work hard to make sure I finish the first event for Team Abu Dhabi in the WRC.”
Team Director for the BP-Ford World Rally Team, Malcolm Wilson, was impressed with Khalid’s approach to the event; “Khalid has fitted in very well with the team and I’m pleased he got some time to test the car before we left for Finland. The key for Khalid this weekend I feel is to finish the event. If he gets to the finish, he will have learned more here than he would do on any other event in the WRC.”
