Novikov joins Ford Abu Dhabi WRT for season finale

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has agreed a one-rally deal with Evgeniy Novikov, one of off-road motorsport’s bright, young talents, to pilot Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team’s third Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car at next month’s Wales Rally GB – the 2011 World Rally Championship (WRC) season finale.

Russian Novikov, who has already raced for M-Sport Stobart Ford Rally Team this season, will steer Team Abu Dhabi’s points-scoring entry in place of regular driver, Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, who has domestic commitments during the emirate’s Etihad Airways Formula 1™ Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend - which falls on the same dates as Wales Rally GB, November 11-13.

Since making his WRC debut in Wales in 2007, Novikov, 21, has forged a successful route through the world’s premiere off-road motorsport series. After a fifth-place finish in the Rally d’Italia Sardegna two years ago, the fearless star made rally history when he became both the first Russian and the youngest-ever driver to top the WRC time sheets in the first stage of the 2009 Acropolis Rally.

“I’m hugely grateful to Khalid for this opportunity to race in his spot for the final event of the year,” said Novikov. “It is an honour to race for Ford Abu Dhabi as they battle for the Drivers’ Championship – I’m very excited to get behind the wheels of a Ford Fiesta RS WRC and capitalise on my experience of the Welsh forest stages.”

In 2008, Novikov contested a full, six-event Production World Rally Championship (PWRC) programme as the series’ youngest driver. That experience will provide useful knowledge to pass on to Team Abu Dhabi juniors, Majed Al Shamsi and Bader Al Jabri, who will end their debut PWRC seasons in Wales.

Novikov’s participation for Ford Abu Dhabi comes as his native Russia’s contribution to Abu Dhabi’s inbound tourism segment shows stellar growth, according to the latest guest figures released by ADTA. In the first eight months of 2011, the number of Russian visitors staying in the emirate’s hotels and hotel apartments rose 32 percent compared with the same period last year.