Qatar 2012
- Date
- 27 Jan - 28 Jan 2012
- Contact
- Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation
- Tel: +974 437 9884/9885
- Fax: +974 437 9761
- Official website:
- http://www.qmmf.com/
The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has confirmed that the Qatar International Rally will get the 2012 FIA Middle East Rally Championship underway on January 26-28, 2012.
The event has been the traditional opening round of the series for many years and slick organisation by the Doha-based QMMF has given the event the reputation as the leading round of the prestigious regional rally series.
Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah is the defending FIA Middle East Rally Champion and will be aiming to seal an unprecedented 10th successive Qatar Rally victory, with nine wins so far achieved since 2003 with the use of four co-drivers.
Officials working under QMMF president Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah have come up with a revised route consisting of a series of challenging gravel special stages in the Qatar deserts, with the rally headquarters and service area based at the Al-Wakra Football Club for a third successive year.
“We look forward to welcoming our international competitors to what has now become a traditional opening round of the Middle East Rally Championship,” enthused Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah. “Our team is putting the finishing touches to the route format and we are pleased to announce concessions for international teams.”
The QMMF is offering an assistance package to international entrants. Teams will be offered four nights’ free accommodation (room and breakfast) in one twin-bedded room for driver and co-driver at the Century Hotel in Doha. Check-in will be on January 25 and checkout on January 29.
Entries have now opened. Reduced entry fees are available until Thursday, January 5th and the final date for registration is Thursday, January 12th, 2012.
Regulations for the 2012 FIA Middle East Rally Championship will again permit the use of either Group N or S2000 cars. The series will be fought out over seven rounds, with the Qatar International Rally being followed by an event in Kuwait in March, Jordan in May, Lebanon and Syria in September, Cyprus in November and the final round in Dubai at the start of December.
Previous winners
| +1978 | Harry Kallstrom (S)/Claes Billstam (S) | Datsun 160J SSS |
| +1983 | Saeed Al Hajri (QA)/John Spiller (GB) | Opel Ascona 400 |
| 1984 | Saeed Al-Hajri (QA)/John Spiller (GB) | Porsche 911 SC RS |
| 1985 | Saeed Al-Hajri (QA)/John Spiller (GB) | Porsche 911 SC RS |
| 1986 | Björn Waldegård (S)/Fred Gallagher (GB) | Toyota Celica Twin Cam Turbo |
| 1987 | Saeed Al Hajri (QA)/Ronan Morgan (IRL) | Porsche 911 SC RS |
| 1988 | Mohammed Ben Sulayem (GB)/Ronan Morgan (IRL) | Toyota Celica Twin Cam Turbo |
| 1989 | Saeed Al Hajri/Steve Bond (GB) | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth |
| 1990 | Mohammed Ben Sulayem (UAE)/Ronan Morgan (IRL) | Toyota Celica GT4 |
| 1991 | Mohammed Ben Sulayem (UAE)//Ronan Morgan (IRL) | Toyota Celica GT4 |
| 1992 | Saeed Al Hajri (QA)/Mike Corner (GB) | Toyota Celica GT4 |
| 1993 | Nasser Khalifa Al Attiyah (QA)/Mubarak Al Hajri (QA) | Toyota Celica GT4 |
| 1994 | Suhail Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum (UAE)/Khaled Malik (UAE) | Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD |
| 1995 | Khalifa Al Motawi (UAE)/Mubarak Al-Hajri (QA) | Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD |
| 1996 | Mohammed Ben Sulayem (UAE)/Ronan Morgan (IRL) | Ford Escort RS Cosworth |
| 1997 | Mohammed Ben Sulayem (UAE)/Ronan Morgan (IRL) | Ford Escort RS Cosworth |
| 1998 | Mohammed Ben Sulayem (UAE)/Ronan Morgan (IRL) | Ford Escort WRC |
| 1999 | Nizar Al-Shanfari (OM)/Tom Steele (GB) | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V |
| 2000 | Mohammed Ben Sulayem (UAE)/Ronan Morgan (IRL) | Ford Focus WRC |
| 2001 | Mohammed Ben Sulayem (UAE)/Khaled Zakaria (HKJ) | Ford Focus WRC |
| 2002 | Mohammed Ben Sulayem (UAE)/John Spiller (GB) | Ford Focus WRC |
| 2003 | Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (QA)/Steve Lancaster (GB) | Subaru Impreza WRC |
| *2004 | Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Chris Patterson (GB) | Subaru Impreza WRX STi ‘N’ |
| 2005 | Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Chris Patterson (GB) | Subaru Impreza WRX STi ‘N’ |
| 2006 | Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Chris Patterson (GB) | Subaru Impreza WRX STi ‘N’ |
| 2007 | Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Chris Patterson (GB) | Subaru Impreza WRX STi ‘N’ |
| 2008 | Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Chris Patterson (GB) | Subaru Impreza N14 |
| 2009 | Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Tina Thörner (S) | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X |
| 2010 | Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Giovanni Bernacchini(I) | Ford Fiesta S2000 |
| 2011 | Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Giovanni Bernacchini(I) | Ford Fiesta S2000 |
| 2012 | Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QA)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QA) | Mini S2000 |
+ non-MERC championship events
* denotes candidate event for the MERC