Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah (R) and Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini celebrate their victory in the Dubai International Rally. DUBAI – Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah still reigns supreme in the Dubai International Rally and the FIA Middle East Championship following another emphatic win over the UAE National Day weekend. After an incident-packed first leg marked by torrential rain, the premature retirement of one of the leading challengers, and ultimately a series of time penalties imposed on most of the field, the sun came out to shine on Al-Attiyah's sixth successive victory parade in Dubai. Needing only a top-five finish to seal his eighth FIA Middle East title, the Qatari led from start to finish in his Ford Fiesta RRC partnered by Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini. He completed Saturday second leg with a 3 mins 38.9 secs winning margin over the UAE's Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi who was promoted from third place after Qatar's Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari made an agonizing exit with mechanical problems on the rally's last special stage. Partnered by Irish co-driver Killian Duffy in a Mini JWC RRC, Al-Kuwari lost four minutes at the start of the stage and eventually came to a grinding halt as a result of a broken alternator. Despite the setback, he finished runner-up in the championship. Giving the UAE another place on the podium, Rashid Al-Ketbi took his Ford Fiesta RRC to third place, finishing another 5 mins 47.4 secs adrift of Al-Qassimi. Fourth place in Dubai for 2010 Middle East champion Misfer Al-Marri meant a Qatari 1-2-3 in this year's FIA regional series. The top six in Dubai was completed by another Qatari, Khalid Al-Suwaidi, and the UAE's Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi. Taking advantage of the super rally option to re-start on the second leg with heavy time penalties, Sheikh Khalid won the third of Saturday's stages. His brother, Sheikh Abdullah, was fastest on the last of event's 12 stages. Finishing eighth overall, the dashing Turkish all-ladies crew of Burcu Cetinkaya and Cicek Guney were the leading Group N finishers in a Mitsubishi Evo IX. Celebrating at the finish, Al-Attiyah said: “It feels really great to win here again in Dubai and take the overall Middle East Rally Championship crown. I always love racing here and it's a great way to end the season." Over the years the Dubai Rally has played a key role in the Middle East Championship as its deciding round, and this time the event set a new standard through the use of a sophisticated tracking system designed to carry the regional series forward. It identifies any deviation of the route, and those competitors straying off line by more than the 10-meter legal limit are identified and penalized. With a series of time penalties being imposed at the end of the first leg, Sheikh Abdullah and Al-Ketbi were relegated one place each to third and fourth respectively at the start of the second leg. Even Al-Attiyah picked up a 30-second penalty, although the new system, tested successfully in Dubai for the first time and to be used across the championship next season, has been widely welcomed by drivers as a positive step to ensure fairer and more equal competition. “I think it works very well and is great for the championship moving forward," confirmed Al-Attiyah. “It is important for all drivers to respect the system, and many are not entirely aware when they are cutting corners and what effect it has. Even I was guilty in this rally." — SG
