Meeke fastest in SS1 as desert battle begins
30 Jan 2021 - 11:05
Ireland’s Kris Meeke and his English navigator Sebastien Marshall during the ceremonial flag off of the 2021 Qatar International Rally at Katara yesterday.
The Peninsula
Doha: Northern Ireland’s Kris Meeke and his English navigator Sebastien Marshall finished the opening special stage of the 2021 Qatar International Rally with a 6.6-second advantage over local hero Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah at Katara, north of Doha, late yesterday.
Driving a Škoda Fabia R5 on the sealed surface stage, Meeke clocked a time of 4min 14.3sec. The 4.4km stage consisted of two runs and two laps of a purpose-built track. This followed immediately after the event’s pre-event press conference and a ceremonial start where 17 cars taking part in the FIA event and four entered in the Qatar National Rally were flagged away by senior QMMF officials.
Al Attiyah, Meeke among top starts lined up for Qatar International Rally
20 Jan 2021 - 8:58
Defending FIA Middle East rally champion Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah
The Peninsula
Losail: Defending FIA Middle East rally champion Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and WRC star Kris Meeke are the top seeds on an international 18-car entry with competitors from nine nations (subject to FIA approval) announced by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) for next week’s Qatar International Rally.
The opening round of the 2021 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) will go ahead under the strict Covid-19 protocols in force in the State of Qatar and has also moved forward by one day in the calendar. The start ceremony will now be held at Katara on Friday evening (January 29th), followed by two days of gravel action in the Qatar deserts on January 30-31.