Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi concluded his 2013 World Rally Championship campaign at Rally Spain on Sunday by narrowly missing a fourth top-10 finish of the season.
After moving up four places on a tarmac course on Saturday, with co-driver Scott Martin of Britain, the Emirati gained one more place during the final leg, which was contested on gravel, to move up to No 11 in his Abu Dhabi Citroen DS3 , only 3.7 seconds out of 10th.
Sheikh Khalid, like most Spanish fans, had been hoping that the home favourite Dani Sordo could bring home his second victory of the season, in his Abu Dhabi Citroen DS3.
Sordo had been lying third, 11.7 seconds behind the leader, Jari-Matti Latvala, with two stages remaining, but the Spaniard went out with a broken wheel.
Sebastien Ogier, who already clinched the season championship, sealed his eighth victory in 12 races. The Frenchman led his Volkswagen teammate Latvala by 32.9 seconds, with Mikko Hirvonen in third.
Ogier began the day in fourth but took the lead on the penultimate stage when Sordo crashed out and Latvala lost time when he crossed the finish line with flames visibly coming from his engine.
In his second WRC appearance, Mohammed Al Mutawaa was in 22nd position and was second in the WRC3 two-wheel-drive category after Sunday’s action, but he hit a concrete block, damaging the rear suspension. He and co-driver Stephan McAuley dropped seven spots during the next two stages before the problem was fixed.
Another young Emirati, Mohammed Al Sahlawi, who drove with Allan Harryman, was third in the WRC3 competition, 34th overall.
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