UAE rally driver Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi is convinced his Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team will cope in the absence of Sebastien Loeb as the nine-time world champion takes on partial retirement this season.
Loeb is undoubtedly the greatest rally driver of all time, but this season as opted to compete in just four World Rally Championship (WRC) races and therefore, for the first time since 2006, the Frenchman and co-driver Daniel Elena will miss the upcoming Rally Mexico.
In Loeb and Elena’s absence, Team Abu Dhabi, the current leaders in the manufacturers’ standings, will be represented Spain’s Dani Sordo and co-driver Carlos del Barrio, while stalwarts Mikko Hirvonen and the Finn’s co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen will resume their season.
And Al Qassimi believes the team that will take to the start line in Guanajuato City on Thursday are strong enough to maintain Team Abu Dhabi’s title challenge.
“Obviously, Sebastien will be missed,” said Al Qassimi. “He won nine WRC drivers titles in a row and has made a massive contribution to the overall success of Citroën Racing.
“This is still a fantastic team though and all the experience gained over the last ten years in the WRC is being put behind Mikko and Dani to help land another world title.”
Like Loeb, Al Qassimi and his co-driver Scott Martin will not be competing at Rally Mexico, but will be back in the car for next month’s Rally De Portugal. Replacing the Emirati and the British co-driver will be Australian Chris Atkinson and Belgian co-driver Stéphane Prévot.
Atkinson, who was runner-up in the 2008 Rally Mexico, is grateful for the chance offered to him by Al Qassimi.
He said: “It’s a magnificent opportunity for me because I had no plans to take part in the World Championship this season. I hope I can secure a top five finish. That would be a good result.”
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