Gulf Times
Oman’s Zakariya al-Ofi and Ammar Balushi stole the spotlight in the first race of penultimate round of the Qatar Online Racing Championship for rally cars (QORC) on Sunday. The Omani pair set a scorching pace in the simulated gravel stages of Chile to top their respective groups.
There will be two more races – today set in Spain’s asphalt and gravel terrain and on Thursday in Germany’s asphalt terrain – before the top three from each group qualify for the one final race. On Sunday. While all eyes were on Qatar’s ace rally champion Adel Abdulla, Balushi stunned his rival by winning four of the eight stages to take pole position in Group B with 40 points. Abdulla, who had not lost a single stage in three rounds of qualifying, surprisingly was not able to win a single race on Sunday.
However, to his credit he finished in podium places in all the eight stages to stay in contention with 36 points, just four behind Balushi. Kuwait’s Meshari al-Thefiri is in third spot, three points behind Abdulla.
Ahmed al-Kholy would be lamenting his lack of consistency. The QORC cars champion won three stages but his struggle in other stages meant he was lying in fourth place with 31 points.
In Group A, al-Ofi overcame some fierce competition from Khalid al-Maraghi and Mansour Dbeissy to
win five stages. He also finished second in three stages to lead the group with 40 points. Al-Maraghi with a stage win and six podium finishes was second overall, while Dbeissy was third.
The online competition, conducted by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has gained in popularity after it was held for cars and bikes in the last two months. In total 28 competitors have registered for the championship.
The two-week event has attracted racing connoisseurs from Kuwait and Oman giving it a regional flavour. The winner will receive QR15,000 in prize money. The runner-up will take home QR13,000, while third-placed competitor will get QR10,000.
RESULTS
Group A:
1. Zakariya al-Ofi (Oman) Time: 44:21.915 secs
2. Khalid al-Maraghi +22.956
3. Mansour Dbeissy +1:17.919
4. Ahmed al-Kuwari +2:18.626
5. Patrick Roux +4:10.315
6. Misfer al-Hajri +4:49.807
Group B:
1. Ammar Balushi (Oman) Time 43:53.455 secs
2. Adel Abdulla +21.118
3. Meshari al-Thefiri (Kuwait) +39.513
4. Ahmed El Khouly +53.252
5. Hamad al-Sulaiti +2:04.438
6. Nasser al-Kuwari +3:09.228
STANDINGS:
GROUP A:
1. Zakariya al-Ofi (Oman) 40 points
2. Khalid al-Maraghi 36 points
3. Mansour Dbeissy 33 points
4. Ahmed al-Kuwari 31 points
5. Patrick Roux 30 points
6. Misfer al-Hajri 29 points
GROUP B:
1. Ammar Balushi (Oman) 40 points
2. Adel Abdulla 36 points
3. MIshari al-Thefiri 33 points
4. Ahmed El Khouly 31 points
5. Hamad al-Sulaiti 30 points
6. Nasser al-Kuwari 29 points