Newly Formed Abu Dhabi Team Brings Best of the UAE to Desert Challenge

A thrilling new chapter for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (ADDC) continues to unfold as the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) prepares for Round 2 of its second season.

In a first for the Desert Challenge, a team has been formed to represent the UAE. The Abu Dhabi Team brings together a strong Emirati lineup, with leading competitors from each category coming together to conquer their home territory.

In line with its ongoing mission to create an environment that enhances the importance of practising sports and growing sports programs for all community segments, The Abu Dhabi Team is sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, the first-ever Emirati to win Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in 2017, will be taking on the T1 class. In T4, 2015, ADDC T2 winner Mansour Al-Helei will be battling it out on the demanding dunes.

Mohammed Al-Balooshi stands out amongst the thirty bikes as the current FIM Baja World Cup points leader after winning the opener in Saudi Arabia. Sultan Al Balooshi completes The Abu Dhabi Team lineup in the bikes competing in Rally 2.

Only five quad riders in this year’s Desert Challenge are entered into the W2RC, with Abdulaziz Ahli leading the way as he aims for a hat-trick, having come out on top at the last two editions of the ADDC.

Another prominent UAE national competitor, Yahya Al-Helei, entered as an independent in a Nissan Pickup T1. He is set to continue his record-breaking run as the only driver to have competed in every edition of the Desert Challenge since its inception in 1991. He is also the father of Mansour Al-Helei, making the Al-Heleis one of the UAE’s best-known names in the world of Rally-Raid.

Khalid Bin Sulayem, the EMSO President, commented: “Last year marked an inspiring start to the World-Rally Raid Championship, and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge played a significant role in that success.

This time we’re looking to bring even more of what the UAE has to offer to the championship, and part of that comes in the form of this exciting Abu Dhabi Team.

We’ve brought the racing closer to the fans for this 32nd edition of the Desert Challenge, with HQ set up in the heart of Abu Dhabi, meaning the home crowd will be up close and personal with this exciting UAE talent.”

The Abu Dhabi Sports Council presents the rally the Emirates Motorsport Organisation (EMSO) organised. The action begins with a Prologue on 26 February and runs through 3 March, as the competitors race through spectacular dune territory across 1,311 kilometres of Special Stages.

30 FIA Priority Crews plus 25 riders on bikes and quads will be taking on the second round of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). These 55 contenders are seeking a win among the dramatic dunes of the Al Dhafra region alongside twenty-one non-championship entrants competing in FIA classes and thirty-three in FIM to complete a rich and varied lineup of 109 competitors.

The 32nd edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has partnered with a new host. Al Dhannah City is the Prologue for all categories on Sunday, with five-time Dakar winner JP Cottret in charge of the opening.

Stage 1 (Ruler’s Representative Court Al Dhafra Region) will start without formalities, as the second longest stage (405km) will be highly demanding, starting in Ghiyathi City to Tal Mor’eb. Competitors will then head through Qasr Al Sarab, where many are familiar with the desert and the soft sands that comprise the following three stages.

The traditional marathon stages for bikes and quads will be during Stage 2 (ADNOC Distribution) and Stage 3 (Abu Dhabi 360). Stage 4 (Al-Futtaim Toyota) marks the longest stint in the rally at 458km, as the competitors are challenged with sharp climbs, deep descents and technical ridge crossings.

Stage 5, the Abu Dhabi Aviation leg, will drive north, putting all those competing to the test with a particular location that brings more speed and flat tracks, thickening the plot as the race ends.

As the cars, bikes and quads tear away from Abu Dhabi on Sunday morning to tackle these five challenging stages, ADNOC Distribution will play a crucial role in fuelling the contest across the breathtaking desert landscape.

Energy Partner ADNOC Distribution will supply the Super 98 premium fuel, a product extracted and refined in the UAE and specially designed to offer advanced care and efficiency in demanding environments such as the ones ADDC’s competitors live and overcome daily in racing conditions.

ADNOC Distribution’s support also includes setting refuelling points for competitors using advanced MyStation trucks in the most remote corners of the Empty Quarter, ensuring engines maintain peak performance. Bader Saeed Al Lamki, CEO of ADNOC Distribution, said: “Our partnership with The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge integrates perfectly with our business strategy and passion for all kinds of rewarding journeys. As the official Energy Partner, we look forward to supporting the contenders with our world-class products and services throughout this exhilarating route. We are excited to provide the ultimate protection for the racers’ engines and help them push their performance again this year at all stages.”

The battle for glory on both four wheels and two wheels in the desert of Abu Dhabi is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative Court in Al Dhafra Region, presented by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council; with the support of this year’s Energy partner ADNOC Distribution; Automotive partner Al-Futtaim Toyota; Abu Dhabi Aviation; Al Ain Water; Governmental support from the Ministry of Defence & UAE Armed Forces, Abu Dhabi Police,  Civil Defence, Abu Dhabi Distribution Co, Al Dhafra Region Municipality, and our media partner Abu Dhabi Sports TV.