KUWAIT CITY // Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi will renew his rivalry with Nasser Al Attiyah on familiar terrain but in an unfamiliar vehicle this month after confirming he will make his cross-country rally debut at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
The Emirati last season placed his Abu Dhabi Racing Citroen top of the Middle East Rally Championship standings only to see the result overturned by the FIA after Al Attiyah convinced the governing body for motors sports that his title rival had cut corners to win the final round.
Sheikh Khalid has since appealed the decision and the case is with the Court of Arbitration for Sport
The two men have resumed hostilities in this year's Merc, which held its second round in Kuwait last weekend and saw Al Attiyah lead Sheikh Khalid over the line.
Now they will meet for the second time in a month after the Emirati confirmed he will compete in the second round of the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup between March 26 and April 2.
"It's the first time ever I will try to do the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge," said Sheikh Khalid, who will race a Toyota Hilux. "It will be an entirely new experience for me: The first time ever in a 4x4 doing a cross-country rally."
While Al Attiyah, a 10-time Merc winner, won the Desert Challenge in 2008 and has since twice won the Dakar Rally, Sheikh Khalid's career has centred more around the World Rally Championship, in which he has competed since 2007.
Unsurprisingly, the Emirati is not expecting to challenge his rival for the race win.
"I won't try to do anything crazy, just learn, finish and try to enjoy it," he said. "It's part of a new chapter. I want to see if I can really adapt to it, or if it's not for me. It might work, it might not. We are not entering because we think we can win it, but rather to show that we Emiratis can achieve something. It will be good for the country."
As well as the region's two most prominent drivers, three world champions will compete among a field of 162 competitors.
Reigning champion Vladimir Vasilyev, who won the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies last year, will be joined by KTM champion Marc Coma and Polish quad winner Rafal Sonik.
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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Sheikh Khalid has high hopes in his Hilux for Abu Dhabi Desert Dhallenge
Al Qassimi to face Al Attiyah on home patch, but insists a Desert Challenge win is not in his thoughts.
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