Am povestit dupa Raliul Aradului cu Rashid Al-Ketbi, pilotul care de 3 sezoane participa in etapa de macadam din Romania si care s-a indragostit de raliul din judetul Arad. Pilotul ne-a dezvaluit cateva din parerile sale despre Raliul Aradului si planurile sale pentru acest an, iar, poate, in 2017 va concura intreg sezonul in Romania.
Credit foto: RallyZoom.ro
RallyMax: Hi Rashid! First of all, congratulations for your result at the Arad Rally 2016: second place after 11 special stages. How would you describe this rally and your rythm on the gravel stages?
Salut, Rashid! In primul rand, felicitari pentru rezultatul de la Raliul Aradului 2016: locul secund dupa 11 probe speciale. Cum ai descrie acest raliu si ritmul tau pe probele speciale?
Rashid Al-Ketbi: First thanks God and thanks for you we finish in good place. Yes, it is a hard rally, especially after rain but we managed our drive and our car to go fast and safe as you know this is the first time for me in Skoda R5.
In primul rand, multumesc lui Dumnezeu si va multumesc voua ca am incheiat pe un loc bun. Da, a fost un raliu dificil, mai ales dupa ce a plouat, dar am reusit sa avem o evolutie buna si sa fim rapizi cu masina noastra, dar in acelasi timp safe, pentru ca, cum stiti, a fost prima data pentru mine cu o Skoda R5.
RallyMax: How did you get in rallying and why other another motorsport discipline?
Cum ai ajuns sa practici raliul si nu alta disciplina de motorsport?
Rashid Al-Ketbi: I think I find myself in rally car more from another Motorsport, but this does not mean this is only the sport that i do.
Cred ca ma regasesc in masina de raliu mai mult decat in alta disciplina de motorsport, dar asta nu inseamna ca este singurul sport pe care il practic.
RallyMax: It`s your third participation in Arad and the fourth in the Romanian Rally Championship. Please tell us why did you decide participate in Romania and what do you appreciate here.
Este a treia participare la Arad si a patra in Campionatul National de Raliuri pentru tine. Te rugam sa ne spui de ce ai decis sa participi in Romania si ce apreciezi aici.
Rashid Al-Ketbi: Yes, it is the 4th rally in Romania, at the first rally I came only to test for WRC Italy, but I won in Arad Rally and after that I really liked motorsport spectators, how they love rally and i liked the country and all the people in Romania. The next year I came as you know – Arad Rally the first gravel rally in ERT and I drove all this championship and we finished 2nd overall in ERT 2015. This year also I came for ERT and my Romanian spectators.
Credit foto: RallyZoom.ro
Da, a fost al patrulea raliu in Romania; la primul am venit pentru a efectua teste inaintea etapei WRC din Italia, dar am castigat raliul si mi-au placut spectatorii, cum iubesc ei raliul si mi-a placut tara si toti oamenii din Romania. Urmatorul an am venit la Arad pentru prima etapa ERT si am participat in acest campionat intreg sezonul, am terminat pe locul secund la general in ERT 2015. In acest an, de asemenea, am venit pentru ERT si pentru spectatorii mei din Romania.
RallyMax: Arad Rally was very difficult due to the weather conditions. Did you ever participate in such conditions? How did these affect your speed on the special stages and were you troubeled by them?
Raliul Aradului a fost foarte dificil prim prisma conditiilor meteo. Ai participat vreodata in asemenea conditii? Cum ti-au afectat acestea viteza pe probele speciale si cat de multe probleme ti-au facut?
Rashid Al-Ketbi: Yes it was very difficult road in this weather i drove in my life this rally in this difficult weather. How i told you before, thanks God I used my long experience in rally to keep trying and keep high speed and safe drive without any risk and no damage in car. I think that working special in day 2 we reduced our speed in first round and we shocked everyone in Round 2 and this is the experience how I told you about it. We keep another drivers start make wrong drive and we drive safe. I used not over 70% from my drive style because we wanted to finish more important from win we have new sponsor and we want to take our Sponsors to finish line and how we promise our friends by a God help, we back to Arad City with good place and we will 🙂
Da, a fost o evolutie dificila si a fost cea mai dificila din cariera mea intr-o astfel de vreme. Cum am spus mai devreme, multumesc lui Dumnezeu pentru ca mi-am folosit experienta lunga in raliuri pentru a continua sa incercam si sa mentinem o viteza ridicata pe probele speciale, dar in acelasi timp sigura, fara a risca sau a aduce daune masinii. Cred ca evoluand special in ziua secunda am redus viteza pe prima bucla si apoi i-am socat pe toti in runa a doua, asta fiind experienta de care va vorbeam. I-am facut pe alti piloti sa inceapa sa faca greseli si noi am pilotat sigur. Nu am folosit mai mult de 70% din stilul meu de pilotaj deoarece am vrut sa termin, fiind cel mai important deoarece avem un nou sponsor sa ducem sponsorul la linia de finish si, asa cum le-am promis, cu ajutorul lui Dumnezeu, sa ne intoarcem cu un rezultat bun de la Arad 🙂
RallyMax: What`s your opinion about the Romanian Rally Championship and are you interested to take part in other rallies in 2016? Have you ever thought about taking part in a tarmac event or even doing a complete season here?
Ce parere ai de Campionatul National de Raliuri? Esti interesat sa participi la alte etape in 2016? Te-ai gandit vreodata sa iei startul la o etapa pe asfalt sau chiar sa faci un sezon complet in Romania?
Rashid Al-Ketbi: What i see in Romania is an interesting championship and all teams there are very good and high level organized. Yes we have in 2016 in plan 14 international Rally ERT: 10 all in Tarmac and 4 Gravel and 6 UAE Championship, we have left there still 3 rallys in UAE , and we have also WRC Germany in August. Next weekend we have Bulgaria Rally and maybe in 2017 I’ll drive all Round in Romania Championship, with my plan in ERT.
In Romania vad un campionat interesant, unde toate echipele sunt foarte bune si organizate bine la un nivel inalt. In 2016 avem in plan 14 raliuri internationale in ERT – 10 pe asfalt si 4 pe macadam si 6 in Campionatul UAE, si, de asemenea, WRC Germania in August. Weekendul viitor vom merge la Rally Bulgaria si poate in 2017 voi concura intreg sezonul in Campionatul Roman, impreuna cu planul meu pentru ERT.
RallyMax: You had a big crash in your career in Portugal in 2013. Did you think about retirement after that moment or was it a motivation to continue?
Ai avut parte de o iesire in decor importanta in 2013 in Portugalia. Te-ai gandit vreodata la retragere dupa acel moment sau a fost o motivatie sa continui?
Rashid Al-Ketbi: This is Rally, maybe on any minute you are in a big crash. After WRC Portugal 2013 next weekend I won a rally in UAE and I forgot every weekend before the crash and received help to continue and not to stop, and participated in 2014 in the same Rally in Portugal and also same Stage, but I did not care and I finished there in a good position in WRC2 2014.
Credit foto: RallyZoom.ro
Acestea sunt raliurile, in orice minut poti sa fii intr-un accident major. Dupa ERC Portugalia 2013, in urmatorul weekend, am castigat un raliu in UAE si am uitat totul inainte de acel crash. Am primit ajutor sa continui si sa nu ma opresc si am participat in 2014 in acelasi raliu in Portugalia, unde, pe aceeasi proba, nu mi-a pasat si am terminat cu un rezultat bun in WRC2 in 2014.
RallyMax: Thank you very much and good luck. What message do you have for the romanian fans who came on the special stages to see you participate?
Iti multumim mult si iti dorim mult succes! Ce mesaj ai pentru fanii din Romania care au venit pe probele speciale pentru a te urmari cum participi?
Rashid Al-Ketbi: First I say thanks for you and for all media and we are happy to drive what we can in Romania, the big thanks after to My God for Crown Prince of Fujairah for his Support, a not limited for Fujairah Rally Team to keep all the time out Country Flags Up in Every Country we Drive in and thanks for all Romanian Friends and Supporters.
In primul rand va multumesc voua pentru toata media si suntem fericiti sa concuram la etapele la care putem in Romania. Un mare multumesc Dumnezeului meu pentru Printul Fujairah si ajutorului oferit de acesta, nelimitat pentru Fujairah Rally Team pentru a tine intotdeauna steagul sus in toate tarile unde concuram si apoi multumesc prietenilor si suporterilor romani.