Fighting Flu And Freezing Cold, Al Qassimi Warms To Tough Swedish WRC Test

Emirati driver aims to finish among the points on return to WRC action with Abu Dhabi CitroÃÆÃÂÂÃ

Fighting off the lingering effects of the flu in temperatures falling towards 15 degrees below freezing, the UAE’s Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi has warmed to the task ahead on his return to World Rally Championship action in Sweden over the next four days.

Of all the nine scheduled WRC appearances he will be making for the Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team this season, Rally Sweden presents arguably the most demanding test for Al Qassimi, who has had less than a week to adjust to the extreme winter conditions.

Nominated to score points for the team, the Emirati driver is competing in his fourth Rally Sweden, having scored his best finish last time out in an event where the cars reach speeds of
180kph on special stages that sometimes look more like a bobsleigh track.

“It’s not really a surface that comes naturally to me, but I have improved here every year, so much so that I finished in the points last time I competed in 2011,” said Al Qassimi. “This is my first rally with the team and the DS3 WRC, so I don’t want to set myself too high a target. It would be a great start if I could finish in the points.”

The bout of flu he collected in the build-up to the Qatar International Rally two weeks ago refuses to go away. “I’m feeling better, but still carrying some of the symptoms, and the weather obviously isn’t helping,” he said. “I just hope it doesn’t get worse.”

The frozen roads of Sweden and Norway are a far cry from the desert trails of Qatar where he began his 2013 FIA Middle East Championship campaign in impressive style, but considerable help has been at hand to help him acclimatize.

“Ever since I got here, I’ve had a good feeling because of the way the team has looked after me,” said Al Qassimi, back on the world rallying stage for the first time since October 2011 as a result of the new partnership between Abu Dhabi Racing and eight-time WRC manufacturer winners, Citroën Racing.

“Everything has been spot on. This team is so professional in everything they do, from the food to the preparation of the car. We had a fantastic day of testing (on Sunday) when the engineers were working just for me and set up the car the way I like it.”

Added Al Qassimi, who is partnered by British co-driver Scott Martin: “After driving the DS3 Regional Rally Car for the first time in Qatar, this was my first time in the DS3 World Rally Car, which is a little different, and my first drive in the snow for two years.”

“To begin with it was very difficult to adapt, especially in the morning when the roads were very narrow and tricky. It was difficult to get the right bite from the (tyre) studs. But we did good mileage after lunch when the roads were fast and flowing, and I built my confidence.”

Prior to the start today (Thursday), Al Qassimi was able to swap notes with two-time Rally Sweden winners Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen, as well as their Citroën Total Abu Dhabi team-mates, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, winners of the opening WRC round in Monte Carlo. Dani Sordo and Carlos del Barrio are also competing in an Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team DS3 WRC.

Today’s opening leg of the Sweden Rally features the qualifying stage and the traditional super special specatator stage in Karlstad, with eight, nine and seven stages running over the following three days before the event finishes back in Karlstad on Sunday.

Emirate:  Abu Dhabi

Date: Feb 7, 2013

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