Abu Dhabi (Etihad)
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, representative of the ruler in the Al Dhafra region, the 30th edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Rally concluded yesterday. The country celebrates its golden jubilee, eventually winning the quads title by a wide margin over multi-time Polish world champion Rafal Sonic, and Argentina’s Manuel Andojar, who led the way for three days.
Al-Attiyah won the drivers’ title with co-driver Matteo Baumel in a Toyota Hilux, 21 minutes and 12 seconds ahead of Argentine Lucio Alvarez and Spanish navigator Armand Monleon in a Toyota Hilux Overdrive.
Al-Attiyah was the fastest in the previous four stages, and only in the fifth stage was the third best time, as Alvarez achieved the fastest time, while Russians Denis Krutov and his navigator Konstantin Zhiltsov in a Mini John Cooper Works Buggy took third place on the podium.
American Austin Jones and his Brazilian navigator Gustavo Guglimin finished sixth in the overall standings, leading the T4 class, while the tenth-placed Saudi, Saleh Al-Saif and his Russian navigator, Igor Okhotikov, won the T3 class title in a Can-Mahverick.
Walkner, the new GP Rally champion on a KTM bike, won the motocross title by 4 minutes 31.8 seconds over Adrian van Beveren, although the Frenchman won the fifth stage at Yas Marina Circuit at a distance of 162.94 km, recording the third fastest time in three stages. Portugal’s Joaquim Rodriguez finished third.
Al-Attiyah said: “It is a really great feeling to win this race for the third time. It wasn’t easy, and that makes winning even better for me. One thing I’ve learned is that if you want to win, you have to work hard – everyone, the crew and the team. Only then will you get results like this.”
Walkner expressed his happiness at winning the motocross title and said: “Finally, the rally was really good. I made it to the finish line and I am very happy with this amazing win, the team did a great job and I am very happy to win the last FIM race of the season.”
“This is also the first time I have won my first world title here, which also gives me a lot of confidence. But it was also important to finish this race well and then look forward to the challenges ahead.”
Poland’s Konrad Dabrowski, son of three-time World Rally Champion Marek Dabrowski, won the FIM Junior Championships and finished fifth in the overall standings on a KTM bike.
Sultan Al Balushi completed the top six on a KTM bike, while South African Michael Docherty grabbed a landslide victory in the Rally Group 2.
The Emirati Ahli, the quads champion, said at the end of the stage: “I finally did it, and I feel very happy to have reached the finish line first. I reaped the results of hard work. I had a tough fight with Manuel and found it difficult to keep up with him because of my finger injury. I am happy and proud to be participating in the Abu Dhabi Rally.”
Austrian rider Matthias Walkner’s victory in the MotoGP Grand Prix was an excellent example of tactical driving during five days of competition in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Walkner did what he needed to do in order to win the FIM MotoGP Championship before her rounds began.
Walkner was the fastest on the opening exhibition stage, which determined the starting order of the riders, and finished second in all desert rally stages to achieve his goal of claiming his first title in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
While Australian cyclist Daniel Sanders, winner of the third stage, finished second yesterday evening on a Jazz bike, misfortune followed him in the fifth stage when his bike ran out of fuel 200 meters from the end of the stage.
Martin Prokop and Viktor Chetka won the Ford Raptor RS Cross Country in the 2022 car class.
The Abu Dhabi Desert Rally was supported by the Court of the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, the Armed Forces, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, ADNOC Distribution, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Aviation, National Ambulance, Toyota Al Futtaim, Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Municipality, Al Dhafra Region Municipality, and Al Ain Water , and rotate.
.