The Peninsula
Former FIA T2 World Cup champion Adel Abdulla has announced plans to tackle the 2019 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, but the Qatari driver will not be taking part in the T2 category for series production cross-country vehicles this season.
Instead, the rallying all-rounder intends to challenge for honours in the T3 category for Modified Cross-Country vehicles this season and will take part in this week’s opening round in Qatar with a Can-Am Maverick T3.
The five-day Manateq Qatar Cross-Country Rally is being organised by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and marks the opening round of the revised FIA World Cup for the first time. It will precede further races in Abu Dhabi, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Morocco.
Adel has teamed up with FN Speed Team, the leading Spanish SxS preparations company, and will be partnered in the new Can-Am by Spanish navigator Marc Serra for the first time in place of Frenchman Jean-Michel Polato, who has prior commitments for the opening round.