Dubai: The organisers of the Dubai International Rally are taking precautions to combat any possible new weather threat over the weekend.
After last week’s heavy rains, parts of the desert route being used for the final round of the 2013 FIA Middle East Rally Championship were under water or had been swept away. Graders have since swept a clean path through the special stages while the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ACTUAE), the national motorsport authority, has taken extra precautions to guard against the possibility of more rain at the weekend.
“The weather forecast is dry for the next few days, but we aren’t taking any chances so we made some dramatic changes to the route to avoid low lying areas which could flood if there was more rain,” said ATCUAE President Mohammad Bin Sulayem.
The ATCUAE move was quickly welcomed by Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi, who spearheads a five-car challenge by Abu Dhabi Racing. “We came across quite a lot of water in the desert when we were testing last weekend and had to change our plans to avoid some areas,” said Al Qasimi, who will be chasing a third Dubai International Rally victory alongside co-driver Scott Martin in his Abu Dhabi Citroën Total DS3.
The rally gets under way with a ceremonial start at Dubai World Trade Centre at 6.15pm on Thursday before the main action unfolds along the desert trails over the next two days.
