While he has to wait until next month to make his bow in the World Rally Championship (WRC) this season, Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi is confident that Team Citroen Abu Dhabi can make a strong start to their year in Monte Carlo this weekend.
The French team are represented by new drivers Mads Ostberg and Kris Meeke for the opening round of the championship, which starts on Thursday and runs until Sunday.
Sheikh Khalid, the chairman of Abu Dhabi Racing, who began the sponsorship link-up with Citroen last season that led to the emirate’s name being placed on the cars, said: “I’m looking forward to the new season, and I’m giving my best wishes and support to Kris and Mads.
“They will need time to adjust and settle in as new members of the team, as I did last season, but that doesn’t mean that they will not be fighting for rally victories.
“Although I will not be taking part in the opening round, we at Abu Dhabi Racing were very keen to attend Rally Monte Carlo and show our support.”
Sheikh Khalid, who scored three points last season in his Citroen, is again mixing his WRC commitments with completing a full Middle East Rally Championship programme.
His first WRC event is in Sweden next month, from February 5-8, and he will also compete in Portugal, Italy and Spain. He will be partnered by co-driver Chris Patterson for all five events.
Citroen Abu Dhabi endured a difficult 2013 as they were beaten in the drivers’ and the constructors’ championships by Sebastien Ogier and Volkswagen, respectively.
But Sheikh Khalid is optimistic that the team can bounce back.
“The new season will be extremely tough, with a very high level of competition, but this team has won the WRC manufacturers’ championship eight times and will be looking to gain as many points as possible and make a strong challenge for the title,” he said.
Rally Monte Carlo begins with a first loop of three stages run twice in the Haute Alpes region.
This is followed on Friday by a leg featuring stages of 49.25 kilometres and 36.70 kilometres.
That night, the competitors head south to Monaco for Saturday’s final leg comprising two loops of two stages in the hinterland of Nice, one by day and the other by night.
sports@thenational.ae
