Nasser Al Attiyah and Giovanni Bernacchini (left) celebrate their victory at the 2012 Cyprus Rally yesterday. RIGHT: Al Attiyah gives a thumbs-up before the start of proceedings yesterday. Andreas Mikkelsen who finished in second place, defended his 2012 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC), making him the first person to defend the IRC title.
Cyprus: Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah displayed the skill that has seen him score numerous victories on Cyprus motorsport events, to win the Cyprus Rally, yesterday
Al Attiyah and co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini steered their Ford Fiesta RRC to a memorable 3 minute 35.3 second victory over closest rival Andreas Mikkelsen of Norway.
Despite Mikkelsen’s disappointment, the Norwegian was still crowned the 2012 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) champion – making him the first driver to defend an IRC title.
The final round of the 2012 IRC and the penultimate round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), this year’s Cyprus Rally delivered action and drama from the start.
Mikkelsen scored a plethora of fastest stage times, including taking the early event lead on Friday night in his Skoda Fabia S2000, and winning the thrilling Super Special Stage in downtown Pafos that got the event underway in dramatic style.
His luck began to change on Saturday when puncture woes slowed Mikkelsen on the first stage of the day and allowed London 2012 Olympic medalist Al Attiyah lead the field in his Ford Fiesta RRC.
Al Kuwari crashed out in his MINI in yesterday’s first stage, but Al Attiyah’s win puts him at the head of the MERC leadership board with 68 points.
The final event of the competition will take place in Dubai later this month.
In yesterday’s action, Mikkelsen quickly showed he was in no mood for taking prisoners, and delivered fastest times on each of the three stages in the morning.
By lunchtime, Al Attiyah had done enough to retain his overall event lead.
But he was wary of Mikkelsen who was pressing hard and had reduced the gap between the two to 49 seconds.
Al Attiyah was fastest out of the gate on the first of the afternoon’s repeat loop of stages, storming through the predominantly gravel Prodromi 2 stage (SS11) far faster than he managed in the morning session yesterday.
Mikkelsen’s chances of an overall event victory were effectively scuppered on the SS11 stage when a puncture caused him a huge delay, losing a full 1 minute and 55.1 seconds against his Qatari rival. Andreas Aigner finished the stage second fastest. Al Attiyah continued to stamp his authority on the all-gravel Gialia stage, widening the gap between him and second fastest Mikkelsen by a further 5.6 seconds.
Qatari driver Al Attiyah finished the campaign in style, flying through the final stage of the day faster than the rest.
THE PENINSULA
