The 32nd Dubai International Rally taking place over UAE National Day weekend will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Arts and Culture Authority.
Sheikh Majid will officially launch the inal round of the 2010 FIA Middle East Rally Championship at a ceremonial start on Emaar Boulevard beside The Palace in the Old Town Island, Dubai at 7.30pm on UAE National Day.
Earlier in the evening he will attend a VIP, competitor and media reception being hosted by FIA Vice-President Mohammed bin Sulayem, President of the rally organisers, the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), at the Armani Hotel in Burj Khalifa.
“We are indebted to Sheikh Majid for his support and look forward to playing our part in the National Day celebrations,” said Sulayem. “Like his father, who is the club’s Patron and has supported the Dubai International Rally for many years, Sheikh Majid is very enthusiastic about the rally, particularly as it is one of the longest running international sporting events in the UAE.”
Following the ceremonial start, the rally heads out into the desert trails outside Dubai the next morning to begin two days of special stage action leading to the finish back in the Old Town, Island Dubai at 4.30pm on Saturday December 4.
The Dubai International Rally has attracted an entry of 54 drivers and co-drivers from 12 countries in the Middle East and overseas and will once more decide the FIA Middle East Championship.
For the first time in its history the rally has its official base within a college campus. The ATCUAE set up its on-event rally headquarters today at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Academic City Dubai to give students an insight into the staging of an international motor sport event, and allow them to take part in its organisation.
When the action begins, Misfer Al Marri will have the chance to succeed fellow-Qatari Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah as FIA Middle East champion by finishing in the top six in Dubai, even if Al Attiyah wins the event for a sixth time.
While the eighth and final round of the Middle East series showcases the most modern rally machinery, more than a hundred vehicles from another era will share the stage on UAE National Day weekend during the Emirates Classic Car Show Festival.
The festival is being organised by Emaar Properties in collaboration with the ATCUAE, the official representative in the UAE of the 'Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens’ (FIVA), the world-wide authority for historic vehicles, and with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development.
An impressive collection of classic cars will line up on Emaar Boulevard, one of the world’s finest boulevards overlooking Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination.
Keenly contested competitions for a range of prizes will add to the excitement. Several private collectors are also expected to showcase their exclusive collections – some on public display for the first time ever.
Competitions will be held for the ‘Best of Show Car’ in different categories including a Public Choice Award to be voted by the public. Eminent classic car experts will score the cars on the basis of car originality, engine cleanliness, original car colour, historical car value, finishing and aesthetics.
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