Team switch a relief for Al-Attiyah
Super 2000 World Rally Championship frontrunner Nasser Al-Attiyah has talked of his relief at being back in the Autotek team on this week's Rally of Portugal
The Qatar driver walked out of the Rene Georges Team after Rally New Zealand earlier this month and swapped his Skoda Fabia for a Ford Fiesta S2000 - the same kind of car he used to start the season with Qatar Rally victory.
Given Al-Attiyah's status as one of Volkswagen's works Dakar drivers, the VW Group was keen to see him in a Fabia for his WRC and Intercontinentaly Rally Challenge progrmame. But after an acrimonious split with the Rene Georges Team, which ran his Skoda, Al-Attiyah returned to the British outfit and a Fiesta in time for Portugal.
"It's very good to be back," he said. "There's a good feeling with the team and I feel happy again. I have a good feeling in my head when I come into service, which is what I need."
Al-Attiyah took the lead of the S-WRC on SS3 in Portugal and was still ahead as the cars moved into the final stage of the day.
"The Fiesta is a good car," he continued. "This is a brand new car for me. There's still some work to do and some more speed to come, but we're building step by step all of the time."
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