AZ Racing seek turnaround in Hungary

MUSCAT: Varpalota in Hungary is the destination for FIA World Cup for Cross Country Bajas duo Abdullah al Zubair and Faisal al Raisi this week for the fifth round of the 2019 season, where the AZ Racing team-mates will be mounting the strongest possible challenge for the podium.

Little more than a week since Al Zubair and Al Raisi returned home to Oman from the previous event in Spain, they’re now preparing to travel back to Europe for their first visit to Hungary where the T3 class front-runners are long overdue a straight-forward, problem free outing.

During round four in Aragon, the first where AZ Racing ran its new livery featuring the Oman national flag, the duo delivered spectacular pace and showcased superb competitiveness but — as has been the way unfortunately in 2019 — bad luck struck again when an abnormal puncture wrecked their very realistic podium bid.

With Al Zubair impressing behind the wheel and Al Raisi delivering faultless navigation across 500 kilometres of challenging Spanish countryside, a podium return was there for the taking but after sustaining the costly blow-out during the second stage on day one those hopes evaporated.

Of course, AZ Racing has already been on the T3 podium this season during the championship opening Baja in Russia’s forests and at each of the subsequent Bajas, in Dubai, Italy and Spain, the potential was there to achieve more silverware.

Now, heading to the rural stages of land-locked Hungary, Al Zubair and Al Raisi are even more determined to shake off the shocking misfortune which has hampered their championship challenge in T3 with the South Racing-prepared Can-Am Maverick X3.

The opening Super Special Stage in Hungary will begin from Szabadsag Square in Varpalota at 17.00 (local time) this Friday, August 9. Two further stages will be contested on August 10, with the concluding fourth and fifth stages following on August 11.

Abdullah al Zubair:

“It will be our first time at the Hungarian Baja and I am very excited! The competition in Europe is very tough, but we have showed our pace in the last few races so we’re hopeful of challenging for the top spot in T3 and having a problem-free event for a change!”

We’re always proud to fly the flag for Oman on the biggest stage in Cross Country rallying, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Faisal al Raisi:

“In spite of our recent bad luck, we completed the rally in Spain and showed our true potential which gives us high hopes for the Hungarian Baja. The more miles I have with Abdullah in the car, the better I understand his driving style — I am working on my navigation skills to keep up with his fast pace!”