Abu Dhabi: The South Grand Stand support pits at Yas Marina Circuit were alive with activity as competitors and mechanics finetuned preparations for the start of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Powered by Nissan on Saturday.

An impressive collection of T1 prototypes, modified production cars and buggies, factory-built super bikes and quads have assembled in the UAE capital, and work is likely to continue into the early hours to get some of the cross-country rally machinery ready for action.

The super special spectator stage kicks off the action at 3.30pm on Saturday on the Grand Prix circuit once flagged off by Major General Mohammad Khalfan Al Rumaithi, Chairman of the General Authority of Youth and Sport.

On Sunday morning, the rally will begin in earnest when 112 competitors from 28 countries tackle the 276-km Yas Marina Circuit stage, the first of five competitive sections penetrating the dunes and desert plains of the Al Dhafra region.

To follow over the next four days are the Nissan (287.92-km), Ain Water (281.38-km), Adnoc (244.49-km) and Abu Dhabi Aviation (218.57-km) stages, ultimately taking the survivors to the finish back at Yas Marina Circuit at 4.30pm next Thursday.

“This is a fantastic event and everyone is eager to get started,” said Mohammad Bin Sulayem, President of the Automobile Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) and Emirates Motorsport Federation, the rally organisers.

“Right now, the drivers and riders are like footballers getting ready for a game. They prepare for days, the adrenalin builds up, and you can sense that as we get ready for the start,” he added.

The Desert Challenge is the third round of this year’s FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies for cars and buggies and the opening round of the FIM World Cup for bikes and quads. Oman’s Abdullah Al Zubair will be aiming to capture the T2 production class title in his Nissan Patrol, while a quartet of Nissan Navaras are entered by UAE-based Tom Bell and Shameer Variawa, Romanian Laurentiu-Claudiu Barbu and South African Terence Marsh.

Chasing back-to-back drivers’ titles, the UAE’s Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi is on a Desert Challenge winners list that reads like a Who’s Who of world-class cross country rallying, including Jean-Louis Schlesser, Bruno Saby, Ari Vatanen and Stephane Peterhansel.

Dubai-based defending bikes’ champion Sam Sunderland is also in very good company. The dominant Peterhansel won the Desert Challenge on two wheels before switching to four, as did Cyril Despres (five times), while Marc Coma (six times) and Toby Price are two other Dakar Rally winners to have found bikes success in Abu Dhabi.