Motorsport prioritised in UAE capital's global events programme

Reigning World Rally champion, BP-Ford, will continue its campaign to secure its second consecutive title in the 2007 Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC) alongside Abu Dhabi - one of the world's leading tourism and business destinations - following a landmark partnership with the United Arab Emirates' capital.

In one of the most unique branding initiatives of any destination, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) is using motor-sport as an element of its continuing platform for its global communications strategy to promote this rapidly emerging tourism and business destination.

For the remaining eight events of the 2007 season, Abu Dhabi will partner the existing BP-Ford World Rally Team, before joining the 2008 FIA WRC as the three-car BP-Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team.

"This partnership has been sealed under the direction of Their Highnesses Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Executive Council, as part of the government's intention to deliver worldwide exposure for the UAE capital and its global tourism, business and sporting events ambitions," said His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, ADTA, which forged the partnership.

"The championship is now engaging a worldwide television audience of more than 800 million and is a compelling mechanism to demonstrate the appeal of Abu Dhabi and its evolution into one of the Middle East's fastest-growing business and leisure destinations.

"Our long-term ambition is to see Abu Dhabi host a WRC event," said Sheikh Sultan.

Joining this year's Abu Dhabi and BP-Ford partnership, and the 2008 BP-Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team will be UAE driver Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, partnered by experienced British co-driver Nicky Beech, who has been competing alongside him in the MERC for several years. BP-Ford World Rally Team's existing Finnish quartet are current WRC leader, Marcus Grönholm, paired with co-driver Timo Rautiainen; while rising star Mikko Hirvonen occupies the second car with Jarmo Lehtinen as co-driver.

"The partnership of Sheikh Khalid, Mikko and Marcus - who we hope will be 2007 WRC Champion - forms a powerful combination of diverse experience and raw potential which will prove invaluable as the BP-Ford World Rally Team reinforces its WRC credentials," said Team Director, former British Rally Champion and Blue Oval stalwart Malcolm Wilson. Wilson is also Managing Director of M-Sport, the British motorsport company, which has overseen Ford's WRC projects since 1997.

"2007 marks M-Sport's tenth year running Ford's rally programme and this partnership heralds a very exciting relationship on which to base the remainder of the 2007 campaign and beyond. With the support of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, I am positive that the BP-Ford World Rally Team will be successful in demonstrating our mutual values," said Wilson.

"The Ford Focus RS WRC06 was developed to win the manufacturers' title for Ford," said Team RS Director Jost Capito, the man responsible for Ford of Europe's motorsport activity.

"Having achieved this goal in 2006, this strategic new partnership with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority will push the entire team onwards to retain our crown. The nucleus of the BP-Ford World Rally Team remains unchanged from previous years, and reflects the structure which has helped us finish in the points for the last 84 rallies, all the way back to Monte Carlo in 2002. It is Ford's rich heritage and vision for the future that makes me confident that the team - now partnered by Abu Dhabi - can push on to retain the manufacturers' title and hopefully to gain the drivers' title once more."

Current MERC leader Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi will get his first taste of the Ford Focus RS WRC06 in next month's Rally Finland, and the Abu Dhabi resident is relishing the chance to test his mettle in forthcoming WRC events in a car carrying Abu Dhabi signage.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi, which is developing a multi-layered rally profile by seeking to host a round of the MERC in addition to the annual FIA registered Abu Dhabi Classic Car Rally, is supporting a youth programme.

Co-ordinated by the ADTA-supported MERC outfit, Team Abu Dhabi, the initiative will provide young UAE nationals with coaching in rally techniques and opportunities to participate in Group N events around the Middle East.

"The long-term aim is to develop a next-generation talent base which will eventually see UAE national drivers take their rightful place on the world rally stage," commented Ahmed Hussein, Director, Product Development, ADTA.