MOTOR SPORTS NEWS

Latest News

  • Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah & Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi taste victory at 2023 Saudi Baja-Hail
  • Wales records win in Ireland at 2023 Corrib Oil Galway International Rally
  • Ford is returning to Formula 1 circuits with Red Bull Racing in 2026
  • Mattias Ekström wins 2023 ‘Race of Champions’
  • Ford Fiesta Rally3 makes British Rally Championship debut in 2023
  • Home
  • News
  • Dakar
    • DAKAR 2016
    • Dakar 2015
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • Motorbike
  • Touring Cars
  • Circuit Racing
  • Events
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Pinterest
    • RSS Feed
    • Linked
    • Youtube

Czech driver Stajf wins 2018 Manateq International Rally of Qatar

Nov 18, 2018


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Tweet

VOJTĔCH ŠTAJF BECOMES FIRST NON-ARAB WINNER OF MANATEQ INTERNATIONAL RALLY OF QATAR SINCE 1986

Dramatic fifth stage retirement for Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah

Adel Abdulla guides Fiesta R5 to second; Al-Kuwari wins MERC 2

LOSAIL (Qatar): Czech rival Vojtĕch Štajf and his female navigator Veronika Havelková created their own little piece of history with a shock victory in the Manateq International Rally of Qatar, the final round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship, on Saturday.

Following Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah retirement on the first stage of the day, Štajf cruised to an emphatic win. His success marked the first victory in the Qatar International Rally for a non-Arab driver since the late Björn Waldegård’s success with co-driver Fred Gallagher in a Toyota Celica Turbo way back in 1986. The win also marked the first for a non-Qatari driver since 2002 and the first MERC win for the Czech at the end of his debut season.

Štajf won the first stage of the day and then extended his advantage over Adel Abdulla to 1min 50sec with the fastest time through Al-Ghariyah. The Škoda Fabia R5 driver’s eventual winning margin was 4min 07.8sec. Havelková is a two-time Slovakian national champion, but this was her first event with Štajf.

The delighted Czech said: “I feel sorry for Nasser, but that happens sometimes. That is rallying. We were keeping the pace to be safe from the beginning, holding back and waiting for a possible problem for Nasser. That’s what happened. My first rally was actually in 1986 with my uncle. That’s when I decided to become a rally driver. I am so happy for my sponsors, who have supported me to experience such a hard and challenging event like Rally Qatar.

“This year’s Middle East Championship was very hard for me. All the rallies were new for me and all the events were very different. I am still learning at the age of 44, even though I have been doing rallies for 22 years. This has been a great challenge.”

Al-Attiyah and French navigator Matthieu Baumel headed into the opening Al-Khor stage defending a lead of just over two minutes, but the Qatari’s hopes of securing a record 14th home event win were ruined just metres into the stage when the rear left-hand drive flange broke on his Ford Fiesta R5. The crew struggled to the stage finish, dropping 2min 40.9sec to new leader Štajf, but retired after the flying finish.

Al-Attiyah said: “The upright was completely broken. Maybe it was some damage when we had a puncture in Kuwait. It was the same corner. It is bad luck. The problem was from the start of the stage. There was a vibration. We did 300 metres and stopped to check if it was a flat tyre. We saw nothing and decided to keep going to the finish. The wheel was completely stuck and we only had three wheels. We let Vojtĕch pass and we finished behind him. But it was over for us.”

Qatar’s runner-up Adel Abdulla and new Lebanese navigator Ziad Chebab delivered an impressive debut performance in a Ford Fiesta R5. Adel got to grips with the increased performance quickly, although the loss of over two minutes in the seventh stage because of power steering issues cost him any realistic chance of catching Štajf.

Adel Abdulla said: “This is a very good result for me. We pushed a little for the first two stages this morning and then we lost the power steering after two kilometres. It was hard to turn in the tight corners and we threw away a lot of time.”

Abdullah Al-Kuwari moved into third overall when Al-Attiyah retired and then lost over two and a half minutes with a puncture and a turbo issue in stage six. But the Qatari and his nephew Nasser Al-Kuwari secured the final podium place and won the MERC 2 category.

Mohammed Al-Meer was unable to capitalise on Al-Kuwari’s delays when he suffered his own time loss in Al-Ghariyah. He and Ahmad Al-Fares reached the finish in fourth.

MERC 3 champion Henry Kahy and Jordanian navigator Musa Djiyerian wrapped up an excellent season with another impressive display in their two-wheel drive Škoda Fabia 1.6. Kahy was classified in sixth overall after losing fifth on the penultimate stage.

Qatar’s Rashed Al-Mohannadi and Jordanian co-driver Yousef Juma finished fifth after Kahy suffered technical issues near the end and slipped to sixth place.

Kuwait’s Saleh bin Eidan began the day in fifth and slipped to sixth overall with ongoing clutch problems on the first stage of the day. But he regained his place on the subsequent special and moved up to fourth after Al-Attiyah’s retirement before retiring with axle damage after a collision in Al-Ghariyah.

Saturday’s action started in the north with a shortened stage of 13.20km at Al-Khor and this preceded the unchanged 21.16km of Al-Ghariyah special and the modified 14.22km of Al-Ruwais. The stages were repeated in the afternoon after a return to service at the Qatar Handball Stadium.

Engine issues prevented Abdullah Al-Rawahi from restarting in the FIA section and co-driver illness also sidelined the MERC 2 champion Meshari Al-Thefiri. The National category also lost Oman’s Humaid Al-Waili with engine issues and Hamed bin Eid Al-Thani with turbo-related engine problems.

None of the other National Rally contenders actually made it to the stage start. Saif Abdullah Al-Harthy and Shaun McGonigal were working on their cars after their allotted start times and into their maximum lateness. A clutch master cylinder issue eventually prevented McGonigal from starting and Al-Harthy went OTL with engine woes.

2018 Manateq International Rally of Qatar – positions after SS10 (unofficial):

  1. Vojtĕch Štajf (CZE)/Veronika Havelková (CZE) Škoda Fabia R5 1hr 39min 46.7sec
  2. Adel Hussein (QAT)/Ziad Chehab (LEB) Ford Fiesta R5                 1hr 43min 54.5sec
  3. Abdullah Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 52min 48.0sec
  4. Mohammed Al-Meer (QAT)/Ahmad Al-Fares (KWT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hrs 13min 57.1sec
  5. Rashid Al-Mohannadi (QAT)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2hrs 20min 27.8sec
  6. Henry Kahy (LBN)/Musa Djiyerian (JOR) Škoda Fabia 1.6                 2hrs 26min 06.3sec

2018 FIA Middle East Rally Championship – final positions (unofficial):

  1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)                 153pts
  2. Vojtĕch Štajf (CZE)                 131pts
  3. Meshari Al-Thefiri (KWT)                 59pts
  4. Roger Feghali (LBN)                                 38pts
  5. Henry Kahy (LBN)                 33pts
  6. Khaled Juma (JOR)                 32pts
  7. Adel Abdulla (QAT)                                                                 29pts
  8. Christos Demostheous (CYP)                 25pts
  9. Abdullah Al-Kuwari                 24pts
  10. Rodolphe Asmar (LBN)                 24pts, etc

2018 FIA MERC 2 – final positions (unofficial):

  1. Meshari Al-Thefiri (KWT)                 117pts
  2. Khaled Juma (JOR)                 49pts
  3. Abdullah Al-Kuwari (QAT)                 39pts
  4. Savvas Savva (CYP)                 37pts
  5. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR)                                 33pts
  6. Costas Zenonos (CYP)                                 30pts
  7. Mohammed Al-Meer (QAT)                 29pts
  8. Ahmed Shaban (JOR)                                 25pts
  9. George Englezou (CYP) 25pts
  10. Rashid Al-Mohannadi (QAT)                 24pts
  11. Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah (QAT)                 24pts
  12. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)                 23pts, etc

  • tweet
Related articles
  • Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah & Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi taste victory at 2023 Saudi Baja-Hail
    Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah...

    Feb 07, 2023 Comments Off on Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah & Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi taste victory at 2023 Saudi Baja-Hail

  • Wales records win in Ireland at 2023 Corrib Oil Galway International Rally
    Wales records win in Ireland at 2023...

    Feb 07, 2023 Comments Off on Wales records win in Ireland at 2023 Corrib Oil Galway International Rally

  • Ford is returning to Formula 1 circuits with Red Bull Racing in 2026
    Ford is returning to Formula 1 circuits...

    Feb 04, 2023 Comments Off on Ford is returning to Formula 1 circuits with Red Bull Racing in 2026

  • Mattias Ekström wins  2023 ‘Race of Champions’
    Mattias Ekström wins 2023 ‘Race...

    Feb 03, 2023 Comments Off on Mattias Ekström wins 2023 ‘Race of Champions’

More in this category
  • Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah & Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi taste victory at 2023 Saudi Baja-Hail
    Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah...

    Comments Off on Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah & Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi taste victory at 2023 Saudi Baja-Hail

  • Wales records win in Ireland at 2023 Corrib Oil Galway International Rally
    Wales records win in Ireland at 2023...

    Comments Off on Wales records win in Ireland at 2023 Corrib Oil Galway International Rally

  • Ford is returning to Formula 1 circuits with Red Bull Racing in 2026
    Ford is returning to Formula 1 circuits...

    Comments Off on Ford is returning to Formula 1 circuits with Red Bull Racing in 2026

  • Mattias Ekström wins  2023 ‘Race of Champions’
    Mattias Ekström wins 2023 ‘Race...

    Comments Off on Mattias Ekström wins 2023 ‘Race of Champions’


Fleet Car Magazine

Notice Board

  • For Sale! 1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher at Bonhams Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris auction
    For Sale! 1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher at...

    Jan 18, 2023

    Tweet1991 Jordan-Ford driven by Mick Schumacher in 2021 to...
  • Opel Ireland partners with Mondello Park to launch 2022 EARLY-DRIVE road safety programme
    Opel Ireland partners with Mondello Park to launch 2022...

    Aug 21, 2022

    TweetA unique young driver education programme, developed...
  • Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec
    Goodyear FIA ETRC pays tribute to Anthony Janiec

    Aug 07, 2022

    Tweet The Goodyear FIA ETRC, ETRA Promotion and the entire...
  • Killarney Forestry Rally to raise funds for Air Ambulance
    Killarney Forestry Rally to raise funds for Air Ambulance

    Feb 03, 2022

    TweetRally drivers from across Ireland will help fund...
  • McHugh’s Service Station, Ballindine Mayo Stages Rally, 6 March 2022
    McHugh’s Service Station, Ballindine Mayo Stages Rally, 6...

    Jan 27, 2022

    TweetMayo & District Motorsport Club, organisers of the...

Categories

  • Africa Eco-Race
  • Baja
  • BRC
  • Circuit Racing
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Dakar
  • Dakar 2015
  • DAKAR 2016
  • DAKAR 2017
  • DAKAR 2019 PERU
  • DAKAR RALLY 2018
  • EV Motorsport
  • Events
  • EverGreeens: Irish Abroad
  • Extreme E
  • Forestry Rally
  • Formula 1
  • Hillclimb
  • IndyCar Series
  • Interview
  • Middle East Rally Championship
  • Morocco Rally
  • Motorbike
  • News
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • RallyX
  • Related products
  • Review
  • Sportscars
  • Touring Cars
  • Tribute
  • Truck Racing
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • WRC
Tweets by @IrMotSportNews

Recent Posts

Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah & Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi taste victory at 2023 Saudi Baja-Hail

Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah & Emirati rider Mohammed...

Feb 07, 2023

Tweet Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi confirmed victories in the car and motorcycle categories at the 2023 Saudi Baja-Hail on Saturday. The overnight leading...
Read More
Nasser noses ahead at the 2023 Saudi Baja-Hail

Nasser noses ahead at the 2023 Saudi Baja-Hail

Feb 03, 2023

ABT CUPRA XE to compete with Klara Andersson and new design

ABT CUPRA XE to compete with Klara Andersson and...

Feb 03, 2023

Next up! Saudi Baja-Hail – 2023 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas,

Next up! Saudi Baja-Hail – 2023 FIA World...

Jan 30, 2023

2023 Qatar International Baja – 15/18 March 2023 FIA World & Middle East Cups for Cross-Country Bajas, RD2

2023 Qatar International Baja – 15/18 March...

Jan 26, 2023

Copyright 2016 / All rights reserved