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Dead Sea, Jordan: Prince Feisal Al Hussain, Chairman of Jordan Autosport and the driving spirit behind Jordan becoming the first country to stage a World Rally Championship (WRC), said the event would boost motor sport in the region.
Midway through the first day's action at this historic Dead Sea venue for the first-ever WRC event to be staged in the Middle East, Prince Feisal told Gulf News in an exclusive interview that the WRC captured the spirit and nature of the country.
"You have the Formula One in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi is set to get it in the future and you have GP racing, but the WRC has a lot of history and tradition.
"If it was one event that we wanted to stage this was it and since I was involved in motor sport it has been our dream," Prince Feisal said.
"It was our ultimate goal to get this championship and we decided to make it a reality. We worked hard and a great team was involved while we also got help from Finland," said the chief of motor sport in Jordan.
"My father [the late King Hussain] introduced motor sport and we have had a tradition of over 50 years in rallying and other forms of this sport," he said.
Commenting on the progress of the 22-stage race, which takes the world's best drivers through some of the most historic spots in the country, Prince Feisal said, "The start has been very good and we have received some very positive feedback.
'Very challenging'
"It is very challenging and very technical. Fortunately, the weather is working with us and temperatures are at manageable levels for the drivers and crew. This rally in Jordan complements the other motor sport activities in the region and opens up markets," he said, adding that the event will also go a long way in showcasing Jordan as a tourist attraction.
"Jordan is ideal as a leisure and sporting destination. This rally has brought in a lot of fans from all over and hopefully it will boost both sport and tourism in the country," he said.
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