Crucial step on the way to the FIA World Cup title
Fazza Rally Team has made a crucial step on the way to the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup title. With their MINI ALL4 Racing the pairing Khalifa Al-Mutaiwei (UAE) / Andreas Schulz (GER) won the Pharaons International Cross Country Rally. In the FIA World Cup ranking, Al-Mutaiwei now holds a 69-point lead over Jean-Louis Schlesser. In the final World Cup round, the Baja Portalegre in Portgual, the maximum of points that can be scored amounts to 30.
Al-Mutaiwei and Schulz started into the rally with a win, thus taking the lead right away. And the driver from Dubai defended his lead until he crossed the finish line in Giza. After the fourth special stage, his toughest rival in the battle for the title, Jean-Louis Schlesser, was disqualified. The diameter of his buggy’s air restrictor was too big and didn’t pass the scrutineering. A too well-meaning mechanic had polished the inside of the air restrictor.
“Khalifa delivered in great style and pressurised Schlesser right from the start,” said X-raid Team Manager Sven Quandt.
“I feel really sorry for Schlesser because of his disqualification. But we are all human and mistakes like this just happen. From this point in time, Khalifa stooped pushing and decided for a more tactical approach, for the following special stages, instead. And this strategy paid off.”
Result:
1. Khalifa Al-Mutaiwei (UAE)/Andreas Schulz (GER) MINI ALL4 Racing - 24h 35m 48s
2. Regis Delahaye (FRA)/Alexandre Winocq (FRA) Buggy - 26h 02m 48s
3. Miroslav Zapetal (CZE)/Maciej Marton (POL) H3 Evo - 26h 34m 37s
