2012 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 30 Mar - 6 Apr

[randy s]

in my opinion, mexico should follow abu dhabi's lead and host a world class raid in their country . think of all the diverse terrain , great fans and the economic benefits the country would enjoy. a one week rally raid in mexico starting on the mainland and ending up in tj after a ferry ride from mazatlan to la paz like they did from spain to north africa. that would be so cool. can anyone imagine a bunch of t4's making their way through the matomi wash?......nah, me neither...but it would be fun watchin' them try...and then people could say that driving a rally raid for a week is like driving one baja 1000...ja ja ja...touche suckas!!

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[bufeo]

i thought that rg showed more patience in this rally early on than he has in the past. his approach seemed more mature up until they came down on him. they rattled his cage and he came undone, wanting to prove his innocence and ended up overdriving the last few stages. ....

I agree wholeheartedly about the beginning stages, and I, too, would like to see an all-out effort by RG on the international R-Raid circuit.

Allen R

[Desert Dog]

It was suggested last year that RG enter the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the organisers would have made all possible concessions to have him enter. They are aware of his notoriety public persona!

Lets see what we can do....

[Ferrari333SP]

It was suggested last year that RG enter the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the organisers would have made all possible concessions to have him enter. They are aware of his notoriety public persona!

Lets see what we can do....

By all means please try to make this happen; more running for the Hummer the better. Would help to creat more publicity for this Abu Dhabi event. What is the energy drink market like in the UAE? Are Red Bull and Monster pretty prominent? Or are there other dominent brands?

[Suhaib Kiani]

Hi Souhaib, the Bin Sougats don't race anymore although I do see them around.

Oh really! I thought they raced last year with their black Patrol, though rolled it over and sold it subsequently so not sure what they're upto this year. Can't imagine them being out of it for too long Anyhow lets hope I can catch the Abu Dhabi event as I have been meaning to do so for sometime!

[Desert Dog]

The question has already been asked!

The energy drink market here is saturated (pun intended!). Red Bull is the most dominant with Power Horse coming in second. Monster have just entered the market and are having teething problems - they've just sacked the entire marketing and promotion team at the end of last year. There are tons of other brands as well. A couple of retailers have been asked whether they were interested in taking on Speed and it was turned down. It's a tough market here as it's tiny.

[Ferrari333SP]

The question has already been asked!

The energy drink market here is saturated (pun intended!). Red Bull is the most dominant with Power Horse coming in second. Monster have just entered the market and are having teething problems - they've just sacked the entire marketing and promotion team at the end of last year. There are tons of other brands as well. A couple of retailers have been asked whether they were interested in taking on Speed and it was turned down. It's a tough market here as it's tiny.

I know here in the U.S. a good way to get your brand out there is to put your drink in nightclubs; that's one way to potentially enter a market. But from what you say, it sounds pretty tough as it is already. Maybe RG doing well in a Hummer would change opinions.

[Desert Dog]

Maybe RG doing well in a Hummer would change opinions.

That is assuming that he really wants to get into the market. The Monster brand is synonous with US off-roading and racing - loads of trucks and rails here have the Monster 'M' emblazoned on them whereas you don't see Red Bull stickers on cars. People even paint the logo on their cars... what's that all about? Talk about free advertising!

[Ferrari333SP]

I've noticed the Monster brand has really exploded in the last 5 years; you see the M logo everywhere, especially in the action sports, and like you saw, people are now just putting the logo on their vehicles themselves. With Red Bull, from what I understand, they don't want people using their logo unless they're actually sponsored by Red Bull; that's why you can't buy simple Red Bull merchandise for yourself, like a t-shirt or hat. But with being the top energy drink worldwide, they don't need every person they can get to spread their name/logo. In RG's case, he's going to need to put that S logo in as many places as possible. Let's just hope this Abu Dhabi event is attractive enough for him to make the long haul over to compete.

[Desert Dog]

Only 3 weeks to go now and here is the latest release from the organisers:

Strong participation from South America in world-famous race / Two of Middle East’s most famous rally drivers to tackle Rub Al Khali / Record number of female entrants reinforces rally’s global appeal


ABU DHABI (UAE). Monday, 12 March, 2011: The world’s ultimate desert rally, the 2012 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (30 March – 6 April) is set to feature an even more varied line-up than ever before, with some 35 different nationalities and a record number of female competitors already signed up to tackle the towering dunes and spectacular terrain of the formidable Liwa Desert.

With the registration deadline for the 22nd edition of one of the world’s toughest and most popular cross-country rallies just hours away, the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), organiser of the race, has confirmed it has already received entries from across six continents.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, ATCUAE President and founder of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, said: “The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is a ‘Must’ for all serious rally drivers and riders. It is renowned for testing participants and their machines, to their absolute limits, giving them a chance to really prove themselves in front of their peers. That is why, in its 22nd year, it continues to attract such a strong line-up of entrants from around the world.”

In a significant development for the race, 2012 sees a marked increase in entrants from South America, with competitors from Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela and Uruguay already confirmed. By attracting growing numbers of entrants from a continent where rallying is extremely popular, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will further spread the names of one the world’s most beautiful and spectacular locations, the Western Region of Al Gharbia.

Among the contestants battling it out across the breathtaking dunes and stunning scenery of the Rub Al Khali (Empty Quarter), there will once again be a strong contingent from right across the Middle East. Notably, the UAE’s entrants include two of the region’s most famous rally drivers, Sheikh Abdulla Al Qassimi and 2004 FIA World Cup champion Khalifa Al-Mutaiwei.

Al-Mutaiwei, who recently announced his return to international cross-country rallying after an eight-year absence, will race with the celebrated German X-raid team. Another of the region’s most experienced rally drivers, Sheikh Abdulla Al Qassimi will take on the Desert Challenge in a Powertech Buggy, having claimed podium places for the past two years in the Middle East Rally Championship.

An indication of the increasing popularity of cross-country rallying among female racers, the global appeal of the rally sees the number of participants rise to six this year. Desert Challenge regular and UAE resident, Sheila Hutton-Barker will again compete in a Nissan Patrol as co-driver to her husband Ian. The Brit will be joined by contestants from Brazil, Bulgaria, the US and Italy, including the most experienced female quad biker in the field, Camelia Liparoti.

This year riding a Yamaha Raptor 700 quad bike, Liparoti has taken on and completed the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge three times before, providing the ideal springboard to help her claim the crown of women’s champion of the FIM Cross Country Rallies Championship for the past three years.

The Desert Challenge is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region, and with support from a number of key partners including as the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, Nissan and ADNOC.

This year it serves as the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship season-opener and the second round of the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup. It offers spectators unrivalled, free access to top-class motorsport in a number of breathtaking settings, with dedicated, easy-to-access viewing points in the beautiful desert of Al Gharbia.