Dubai: The chairman of the organising committee for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is hoping to place the rally on a better date so as to attract an even bigger field next year.
"We need to consider shifting the rally by a week either forward or backwards, because we feel the participation for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is getting affected," Mohammad Bin Sulayem, Chairman of the Organising Committee for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, said yesterday.
"There are too many important motor sport events happening at the same time in the region, and we need to find the right sort of place for this rally due to the prestige that this carries. Perhaps, we have to sit down and put in more co-ordination between all national motor sports bodies in the region so that all benefit," Bin Sulayem stated.
The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge — the opening round of the FIA Cross Country World Cup, and FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship — will get under way with the Special Stage on Saturday.
The response to the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has been very enthusiastic with 70 participants in the Moto category and another 40 in the Auto category for a total of 110 — much better than the 79 entrants in total last year.
