Jordan positive about WRC future

"What we did this year, in having the Jerash start was nice and different"

By Franck Drui

8 April 2010 - 20:34
Jordan positive about WRC future

The chairman of Jordan motorsport HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein is confident in the World Rally Championship future of the Jordan Rally - following the successful third round of the series around Amman last week.

The Prince, who was present throughout the rally, has been one of the key players in bringing the WRC to the Middle East and to Jordan. He says the event is ready to make the changes required for a longer-term future in the sport.

HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein said: “I’m confident if they [North One Sport and the FIA] are looking at it as a Middle East event. We’ve demonstrated we can host a very good WRC event and world-class event. I hope we will be seriously considered [for the calendar].

“We built the facilities for this rally based on what we were told the FIA and the organisers and on what North One wanted, which was a very compact rally with everything close by. We said [at the outset] we could have showcased some desert stages, we were told: “No, we don’t want desert stages.”

“What we did this year, in having the Jerash start was nice and different. We started the race from there, rather than just a ceremonial start. Somebody asked me why we weren’t doing it in Petra? We could have done Petra, we’ve also thought of Aqaba and Wadi Rum and the beautiful desert areas up there, but we were told: “That’s not what FIA wants.” For me, yes, we will try to adapt, but if we are asked to run the event next year, it’s going to be pretty much as you see it, unless they come out with a very clear and strong message about what they want to do in the future and we have time to be able to adapt to it.”

There had been speculation that the whole event could be set to move south to Aqaba, something HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein admitted was possible.

“We’ve invested - as Jordan - quite a lot in the infrastructure that’s been put into place,” he said. “If we did look at moving, that’s an additional cost, and we’d have to weigh it with the benefits. If we really see the WRC is regaining its stature and it’s where we think it should be: a very, very solid - it was an excellent brand and it is still a good brand, but we need to make it an excellent brand, then yes, we’ll look at moving.”

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