FORD LEADS MIDEAST RALLY SERIES WITH MORE THAN TWICE THE POINTS OF NEAREST RIVAL AFTER FIRST TWO RAC - WRC, Rally X - Focus On Racing - Team Focus - Come On In And Enjoy The Company!
FORD LEADS MIDEAST RALLY SERIES WITH MORE THAN TWICE THE POINTS OF NEAREST RIVAL AFTER FIRST TWO RACES
Ben Sulayem In Personal Fitness Program To Match Improved Performance Of Ford Focus World Rally Car
DUBAI, UAE, 13 March, 2002 - Mohammed Ben Sulayem has revealed how an intensive new fitness regime has helped him match the improved performance of his Ford Focus World Rally Car and make a flying start in this year's FIA Middle East Championship.
Facing his toughest challenge for a number of years, Ben Sulayem has scored convincing victories in both of the first two rounds of this year's title race, and he says a combination of personal dedication and technical advancement has given him a decisive advantage.
"This is the most competitive championship for quite some time, and I've made a big effort to get into my best physical condition," said the Arab world's leading driver.
"The Ford Focus is getting better all the time, and I've been training hard to make sure I'm capable of raising my own performance levels this season."
The return of Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Bakhashab to the Middle East Championship at the wheel of a Toyota Corolla WRC, and the presence of a second Ford Focus WRC driven by Sharjah's Sheikh Abdullah Al Qassimi, have turned the pressure on Ben Sulayem. He has responded with successive wins in Qatar and Bahrain, and while Bakhashab was expected to be his closest challenger this season, it is Al Qassimi (Ford Focus WRC) who currently holds second place in the championship, giving Ford an even stronger grip on the Middle East manufacturers' title.
Ben Sulayem, delighted with the power boost provided by the new version of the Ford Focus WRC he is driving this year, says the car's continued advancement provides a competitive edge which he aims to make the most of as he chases his 14th Middle East drivers' title, and a sixth manufacturers' crown for Ford.
"I've been doing more jogging, and working in the gym, and I've also been following a strict diet," said Ben Sulayem, who is partnered by British co-driver, John Spiller, and sponsored by Red Bull.
"At the same time, we've been looking very closely at the team's preparations for each rally, and have made a number of small refinements here and there to improve our overall performance. Also, we made some modifications to the car for Bahrain, and we're going to do the same for the next round."
Ben Sulayem will be bidding to maintain his 100 per cent winning record in this year's Middle East Rally Championship when he takes his Ford Focus WRC back into action in the third round of the regional series, the Jordan International Rally, on May 17-18.
FIA Middle East Rally championship positions after two of seven rounds:
1. Mohammed bin Sulayem
(Ford Focus WRC)
20 pts
2. Abdullah Al-Qassimi
(Ford Focus WRC)
8pts
3. Hamed Al-Sowaidi
(Subaru Impreza WRC)
6pts
Abdullah Bakhashab
(Toyota Corolla WRC)
6pts
Khaled Al-Qassimi
(Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6)
6pts
6. Misfer Al-Marri
(Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6)
4pts
7. Abdullah Al-Kuwari
(Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7)
1pt
Ahmed Al-Sabban
(Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6)
1pt Manufacturers' championship:
