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The 2008 <strong>Qatar</strong> Prix de l’Arc de<br />
Triomphe was won in brilliant style by the<br />
unbeaten fi lly Zarkava (pictur<br />
QATARIS SEEK MOTOGP DEBUT<br />
<strong>Qatar</strong>’s young motorcycling heroes are hoping<br />
to breakthrough into MotoGP after a<br />
brilliant year of endurance racing in 2008.<br />
The <strong>Qatar</strong> Endurance Racing International<br />
Junior Team won the FIM Superstock World<br />
Cup in September and now <strong>Qatar</strong> Motor and<br />
Motorcycling Federation (QMMF) President<br />
Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Attiyah has his sights<br />
set on the world’s most prestigious motorcycling<br />
series.<br />
“This success gives us motivation to identify<br />
new riders and form a second team to feature<br />
in the Endurance Championship. Once this is<br />
done it will help us in fulfi lling our long-term<br />
goal of fi elding riders in the 600cc category of<br />
the MotoGP in 2010,” he said.<br />
According to star rider Mishal Al-Naimi, the<br />
team’s success last year was the result of intensive<br />
training at the famous Le Mans track<br />
in France. “By giving us an opportunity to<br />
train at the Le Mans Academy, the federation<br />
took the right step,” said Al-Naimi. “This is<br />
why we achieved in the very fi rst year a goal<br />
that we had hoped to achieve in three years.”<br />
A new QMMF initiative means that other<br />
young riders with potential could soon join<br />
Al-Naimi and his teammates Anthony Delhalle,<br />
Luca de Carolis and Rashid Al-Mannai<br />
on the winners’ podium.<br />
The federation plans to build a motorsport<br />
academy at the Losail International Circuit<br />
to groom young talent in the sport - and has<br />
contracted the Le Mans Academy to conduct<br />
training programmes in <strong>Qatar</strong>.<br />
“The QMMF is committed to identifying riders<br />
in greater numbers and providing them<br />
incentives,” said Al-Attiyah.<br />
The QMMF is also set to host the fi rst-ever<br />
GCC Road Racing Championship in 2009 for<br />
both cars and bikes, while facilities at the Losail<br />
International Circuit have been upgraded<br />
to meet the unique demands of the Formula<br />
One teams.<br />
“Many Formula One teams have regularly<br />
been coming to <strong>Qatar</strong> and practicing here<br />
at the Losail International Circuit,” said<br />
the QMMF chief. “We have added a few new<br />
features taking into consideration the needs<br />
of the F1 teams.”<br />
Q5.09.<strong>NEWS</strong><br />
Q4.08 QATARSPORT 11
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