Sulayem flags off Belgium Ypres Rally

Email | Print

Comment

Recommend this story (*)

[-]Text[+]

FIA Vice President Mohammed Ben Sulayem on Friday flagged off the first car in front of the magnificent court house in the main square at Ypres in Belgium to start the 45^th edition of the Ypres Rally in the presence of Belgian Minister for Development Vincent Van Quickenborne.
 
Having exchanged pleasantries with all teams Sulayem, at the invitation of the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium, flagged off the first car, Juho Hanninen's Skoda Fabia, amid a record crowd basking under perfect weather conditions in Lille-Metropole, Ypres region, at 5.30pm local time (7.30pm UAE).
 
Round 5 of the 11-round Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC), the Belgium Ypres Rally was founded in 1965 by Frans Thevelin, growing in stature over the years to now attract an estimated 120,000 spectators over three days broadcast live by Eurosport.
 
Sulayem, a 14-time Middle East rally champion, a record that is unlikely to be equalled or surpassed anytime in the near future, during talks with Belgian Minister for Development Vincent Van Quickenborne said he was impressed with the arrangements and delighted at the huge turnout in terms of teams and spectators.
 
At the end of the first day, Freddy Loix - holder of a record number of victories in Ypres, led the pack followed by Kris Meeke and Jan Kopecky in second and third place respectively. Interestingly, there is a three-way tussle for fourth position between Giandomenico Basso, Juho Hanninen and Pieter Tsjoen.

Email | Print

RECOMMEND THIS STORY

Your Vote 1 2 3 4 5

Average Rating

Add your own comment: