Skydive Dubai Rally Team ’s Al-Ketbi wins Raliul Aradului in Romania

ARAD- Skydive Dubai Rally Team driver Rashid Al-Ketbi and German co-driver Karina Hepperle took a break from their FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) commitments to seal a stunning victory in Romania’s round of the FIA European Rally Trophy (ERT), the Raliul Aradului Atrium Mall, at the weekend.

The pair, who are taking part in the WRC 2 category of the FIA World Rally Championship together for a second season in a Ford Fiesta R5, beat a strong field of Romanian and Hungarian drivers to seal the stunning victory.

“I am delighted to say that we finished first overall in the event in Romania,” enthused Dubai-based Al-Ketbi.

“This was after three days of hard competition. I want to say a special thanks to Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai, for his support and our sponsor Skydive Dubai for giving me the chance to compete in this challenging gravel rally. Now we are looking forward to the next round of the WRC in Sardinia with growing confidence.”

Second position in the Arad-based event fell to the Romanian crew of Sebastian Barbu and Sergiu Iyu at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. They battled hard with Al-Ketbi early on, but the Skydive Dubai-backed driver pulled clear to seal the win. The Hungarian team of Janos Puskadi and Barnabas Godor were third in a Skoda Fabia S2000.

Al-Ketbi’s Skydive Dubai Rally Team is running in the 2014 WRC under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, and is promoting Dubai’s hosting of EXPO 2020.