UAE drivers confident of finishing on top

Dubai: The UAE's Rashid Al Ketbi and Khalid Al Kindi are confident of driving their brand-new Skoda Fabia S2000 at the top of the group when the 31st edition of the Dubai International Rally is flagged off on Thursday.

Al Ketbi and co-driver Al Kindi have pulled off a coup after getting their hands on the brand-new Skoda Fabia S2000 — the only one such car in the Middle East so far. "We have tested the car under various conditions and we can confidently say that we are ready to go all out and win this rally," Al Ketbi told Gulf News after unveiling the car late in the presence of John Arnold from Skoda UAE, Michal Pres from Skoda Motorsport Czech Republic and Dietmar Metrich from BRR late on Tuesday.

The UAE duo will be the part of the 26-team field at this year's Dubai International Rally to be flagged off from the Emaar Boulevard at Downtown Burj Dubai at 7pm today by Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, in the presence of Mohammad Bin Sulayem, FIA Vice President, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of UAE and Chairman of the Dubai International Rally organising committee.

Some of the top drivers from the region, including defending champions Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, Shaikh Abdullah Al Qasimi, Misfer Al Merri, Yazeed Al Rajhi and the all-woman team of Abir Al Batikhi and Rabab Al Tajir will be competing for the title in what happens to the final round on the 2009 FIA Middle East Rally Championship.

"We know we have the best car in the field this year, and this is not a wild boast as we have driven it for the past few weeks under various conditions, including the Czech Republic and Austria before doing extensive workout off Hatta for the last two weeks," Al Kindi stated.