AlKass Digital
Doha, Qatar - Officials at the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) have announced further details of the challenging route that competitors will face at the Manateq Qatar Cross-Country Rally (QCCR), the opening round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.
The event gets underway with a ceremonial start on the Pearl on February 21. Timed action fires into life on February 22 with a short desert stage of 102km and this will define the starting order for the first of the longer selective sections.
The following two days of competition across the length and breadth of the deserts of Qatar will run for 313km and 338km, respectively, with final stage distances subject to forthcoming route checks.
The fourth stage on February 24 will offer almost 350km of timed competition but this will be divided into two stages by a road liaison section of 56km. The FIA recommends that the last timed test is shorter than the rest and the QMMF have duly arranged 270 kilometres of competition to decide the outcome of the rally on February 26. In a provisional route of 2,059km, competitors will tackle 1,367km of timed competition. The finishers will then be convoyed to the Pearl for the prize giving ceremony.
Rally officials have also announced a generous prize fund for winners in all categories. The top five in the T1 category will receive generous cash awards, with $10,000 for the winner, down to $4,000 for fifth place.
The winner of the T2 category for series production cross-country vehicles will receive $8,000 - with prize money paid down to fifth place - and the T3 winner will earn $6,000 down to a prize of $3,000 for third place.
Entries close on February 5 and at reduced rates on January 22.
Entries for rounds of the 2019 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies must be done online on the FIA website. All competitors must complete the online entry form at https://registrations.fia.com to be eligible to score points in the World Cup and associated competitions.
Further information about the rally can be obtained by contacting QMMF, Losail Sports Arena, Al Wusail, North Relief Road, PO Box 8708, Doha, Tel: +974 443 79885, Fax: + 974 443 79732, E-mail: info@qmmf.com.qa and davypatterson777@gmail.com or the QMMF’s official web site, www.qmmf.com