Timur and Diker Unlucky in Qatar

Yiğit Timur-Ufuk Uluocak and Vedat Diker-Erdal Oral, the crews representing Turkey in the Qatar International Rally, the opening round of the Middle East Rally Championship, were unable to finish the event due to mechanical problems...

Only seven crews reached the finish at the end of a tough three-day rally in which competition was intense. The Turkish drivers, who contested the Group N class in TOKSPORT WRT's Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X cars, endured a luckless rally. Experienced driver Vedat Diker retired with a mechanical failure as early as stage five. Young driver Yiğit Timur, meanwhile, ended the second day third overall and leading Group N. However, the crew was forced to stop on a regular stage when the engine overheated, and did not complete the rally.

The Middle East Rally Championship, whose opening round was won by Nasser Al Attiyah, will continue with an event in Kuwait on 12-14 March.