Sulayem backs Abu Dhabi WRC bid

Abu Dhabi's arrival on the proposed WRC calendar for next season - at the expense of Rally Jordan, the Middle East's first ever WRC round - is the most controversial talking point of tomorrow's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Bahrain. Abu Dhabi has not yet run a candidate rally for inspection by the FIA - and will not do so until December this year.

There has been speculation that FIA president Jean Todt could veto the all-new rally that would be based at the Yas Marina Formula 1 circuit, but 14-time Middle East Rally champion Ben Sulayem is strongly in favour of Abu Dhabi's event getting approved.

"Motorsport has come a long way here [in the UAE], and I am convinced that now is the right time to bring the WRC to Abu Dhabi," he said.

"Bringing a round of the WRC to the UAE will also be beneficial to the region as a whole because it will serve as a platform to further promote and develop the sport in the Middle East. There is a need to further improve promotion of the WRC by reorganising the championship to cater to the needs of all stakeholders."

Sulayem concluded by agreeing with WRC promoter North One Sport that rotating rounds of the series was not the way foward, the vice-president being a firm fan of a fixed calendar.

A decision on the 2011 calendar, proposed to the WRC Commission last month by North One Sport, is expected from WMSC tomorrow. A further decision from the meeting is expected to rubber-stamp Pirelli's position as the control tyre supplier for the next three years.