Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA Vice-president, and Chairman of the Desert Challenge Organising Committee, has announced an agreement between the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2011 and Nissan Middle East FZE, which will take the eight year partnership between the two sides to new heights.
Ben Sulayem confirmed that 2011 will see the return of Nissan’s flagship Patrol SUV, dubbed “The Hero of All Terrain”, as the official car of Abu Dhabi’s international cross-country rally, which is acknowledged to be one of the toughest yet most spectacular rallies on the sporting calendar. The agreement puts a fleet of Nissan Patrols and other SUVs at the disposal of the organisers in the build-up to the event.
As in previous events, one of the rally’s toughest stages, which will take place on April 6, will be named after Nissan, and will start and finish at the prestigious Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, deep in the heart of Abu Dhabi emirate’s Western Region of Al Gharbia.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, which was held at Nissan Middle East’s regional headquarters at Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, on Sunday 13 April, Ben Sulayem said: “Nissan is a highly valued, long-term partner of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. They have been with us for eight years and their support has been invaluable in helping us to take the great strides we have taken to make the rally the world-class event that it now is.
“The success of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is clearly demonstrated by the increase in the number of participants, as well as in the type of vehicles taking part. We have also had extremely positive feedback from participants, both in the UAE and abroad, regarding the changes we have made to the rally route,” he added.
The Nissan Patrol is well-suited to the demanding terrain of the Liwa desert, having undertaken more than 13,000 hours of desert testing before debuting in Abu Dhabi early last year, the first-ever world premiere in the Middle East by a Japan-based automaker. As part of a sophisticated on-going research and development programme operated by Nissan, Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge officials driving the Patrols will provide expert feedback on the cars’ performance in the extreme conditions encountered across the course.
There will also be a Nissan tent featuring interactive activities at two key locations on this year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. One will be at the Super Special Stage in Abu Dhabi, while the other will be at the all-new bivouac adjacent to the world-class Qasr Al Sarab desert resort. The display tent will provide interactive displays of the www.createyourterrain.com website, which is based on the augmented reality concept, as well as examples of the 2011 Patrol for visitors to check out.
“Nissan Middle East is once again delighted to be partnering with the Automobile Touring Club of the UAE and the FIA to be a sponsor of the 2011 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge,” said Atsuo Kosaka, Managing Director of Nissan Middle East. “With plans for an even bigger event this year and the attention of the international media, we are sure spectators will enjoy one of the world’s greatest and most authentic desert rallies.
“We wish all entrants competing on both two and four wheels the very best of luck and of course we shall be paying special attention to those privateers who are competing in Nissan vehicles which have always featured so prominently in the event over the years,” he continued.
At last year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Nissan cars picked up five of the top seven spots in the cars category, with Laurent Rosso from France gaining second place in his Team Fitech Nissan Patrol. Looking ahead, Sulayem believes that UAE national drivers are in with a chance of claiming outright victory in next month’s Desert Challenge, which runs from 1-7 April.
The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is a world-class cross-country rally that attracts some of the most famous rally drivers and riders from across the globe. The closing date for entries is on March 17.
The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is organised by the Automobile and Touring Club of United Arab Emirates (ATCUAE) under the title sponsorship of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), and is held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region.
The rally is backed by a high-profile line-up of sponsors and supporters that includes Al Gharbia, ADNOC, Rotana – Yas Island, Al Ain Water, TAG Heuer, Explorer and Nissan. Meanwhile, a landmark partnership with Eurosport TV will see daily global broadcasts of all the 2011 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge action.
