QMMF Modifies Qatars International Rally Program

Doha, February 07 (QNA) - The Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), has announced it has made some minor changes to the program and schedule of the Qatar International Rally, the second round of the Middle East Rally Championship for the current year, which will be held for a period of three days and will witness the participation of 14 teams and competitors from 13 countries. The QMMF said, in a statement today, that the participants will compete in 12 speed stages on gravel tracks across Qatar, and a local tour will be held in conjunction with the international rally. The statement added that the international teams participating in the Qatar Rally began to flock to the capital, Doha, in preparation for participating in the competitions. The QMMF will adopt a new testing phase next Thursday, instead of the traditional short demonstration phase, and the international crews will have a greater opportunity to adjust the settings of their cars at the weekend and provide greater media coverage, thus, the distance of the speed stages has been reduced to 212 km, while keeping the six stages that are repeated twice on Friday and Saturday as it is. The testing stage is scheduled to continue Thursday in the Al Khor area north of Lusail for two hours, to start at 14.30 local time, and it precedes the press conference dedicated to the start of the rally (18.45) and then the launch ceremony (19.30) at the Lusail International Circuit, which hosted last years round of the Formula 1 World Championship. (QNA)