Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi
Sheikh Khalid in 2013
Personal information
NationalityEmirati
Born (1972-02-18) 18 February 1972 (age 51)
Abu Dhabi, UAE
HouseAl Qasimi
World Rally Championship record
Active years2004–2011, 2013–2018
TeamsCitroën, Ford
Ralliesover 180

Dakar

  • 6th in 2018
  • 7th in 2021
  • 3rd position in the T1 2WD category 2021
Championships
  • Top World Rank Driver-Seeding Driver

3 times Middle East Champion

Podiums80
Total points48 in WRC and over 200 in other rallies
First rally2004 Acropolis Rally

Khalid bin Faisal bin Sultan Al Qassimi (Arabic: الشيخ خالد بن فيصل بن سلطان القاسمي; born 18 February 1972) is a rally driver from the United Arab Emirates, and a member of the royal house of Al Qasimi who rule the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, and has competed in the World Rally Championship and Dakar Rally.

Early life

Al Qassimi was born on 18 February 1972.[1] He is the son of Sheikh Faisal bin Sultan Al Qassimi and Sheikha Moza bint Hilal Al Nahyan.

Career

Al Qassimi during the shakedown of the 2009 Cyprus Rally.
Al Qassimi driving a Ford Focus RS WRC 09 at the 2010 Rally Finland.

Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi won the FIA Middle East Cup for Drivers of Production Cars in 2002 and the FIA Middle East Rally Championship in 2004.[2]

At the half way stage of the 2007 World Rally Championship season, a joint venture between the BP Ford World Rally Team and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Board was announced to bring a third official Focus RS WRC to the team's World Rally Championship campaign. With heavy sponsorship from the latter, Khalid was given a chance to drive alongside Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala in the extra car. Co-driven by Nicky Beech, Khalid Al Qassimi contested Rally Finland, Rallye Deutschland, Rally Catalunya and Rally Ireland. On his debut in Rally Finland, al-Qassimi drove consistently to finish in 16th place overall.

For the 2008 WRC season, he continued with BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT, contesting ten events, co-driven by Michael Orr. His best result was ninth at the Jordan Rally. For 2009, Khalid Al Qassimi and co-driver Michael Orr remain with the BP Ford World Rally Team. His season began with a first world championship point by finishing in eighth place on the Rally Ireland; he repeated this feat in Cyprus and Portugal.

At the 2011 Rally Australia, he finished with a career-best 5th place. After a sabbatical year, he returned to the World Rally Championship in 2013, switching to an Abu Dhabi-sponsored Citroën DS3 WRC, claiming two ninth places and a tenth. In 2014 he took tenth place at Sardinia. In 2015 he finished sixth at the Rally Argentina and tenth at Sardinia. He also entered the Middle East Rally Championship with a Citroën DS3 RRC winning at Dubai and finishing second at Qatar and Kuwait.

In 2016, he finished sixth at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

Al Qassimi entered the 2017 Dakar Rally with a customer Peugeot 2008 DKR.

Titles

Year Title Car
2002 FIA Middle East Cup for Drivers of Production Cars Champion Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6
2004 FIA Middle East Rally Championship for Drivers Champion Subaru Impreza WRX STI
2014 FIA Middle East Rally Championship for Drivers Champion Citroen DS3 / RC2
2017 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Champion Peugeot 3008 DKR
2017 World Cup Champion in Cross Country 2WD Peugeot 3008 DKR

WRC results

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points
2004 Khalid Al Qassimi Subaru Impreza WRX STi MON SWE MEX NZL CYP GRE
20 		TUR
Ret 		ARG FIN GER JPN GBR ITA FRA ESP AUS
Ret 		NC 0
2005 Khalid Al Qassimi Subaru Impreza WRX STi MON SWE MEX NZL ITA CYP TUR
33 		GRE ARG FIN GER GBR JPN FRA ESP AUS NC 0
2006 Khalid Al Qassimi Subaru Impreza WRX STi MON SWE MEX ESP FRA ARG ITA GRE
23 		GER FIN JPN CYP
13 		TUR AUS NZL GBR NC 0
2007 BP Ford World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 06 MON SWE NOR MEX POR ARG ITA GRE FIN
16 		GER
16 		NZL ESP
14 		FRA JPN IRE
15 		GBR NC 0
2008 BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 07 MON
16 		SWE
26 		MEX ARG JOR
9 		ITA
16 		GRE
12 		TUR FIN
11 		NC 0
Ford Focus RS WRC 08 GER
14 		NZL ESP
21 		FRA
12 		JPN GBR
16
2009 BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 08 IRE
8 		NOR CYP
8 		POR
8 		ARG ITA
15 		GRE
6 		POL FIN
9 		AUS
19 		ESP
14 		GBR
19 		12th 6
2010 BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Ford Focus RS WRC 08 SWE
13 		MEX JOR TUR NZL POR
9 		BUL FIN
Ret 		GER
8 		JPN
Ret 		FRA
13 		ESP
7 		GBR
11 		12th 12
2011 Team Abu Dhabi Ford Fiesta RS WRC SWE
10 		MEX POR
14 		JOR
8 		ITA
13 		ARG GRE FIN
14 		GER AUS
5 		FRA
12 		ESP
12 		GBR 14th 15
2013 Abu Dhabi Citroën Total WRT Citroën DS3 WRC MON SWE
Ret 		MEX POR
9 		ARG GRE
Ret 		ITA
10 		FIN GER
11 		AUS
9 		FRA ESP
11 		GBR 21st 5
2014 Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT Citroën DS3 WRC MON SWE
16 		MEX POR
13 		ARG ITA
10 		POL FIN GER AUS FRA ESP
15 		GBR 29th 1
2015 Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT Citroën DS3 WRC MON SWE MEX ARG
6 		POR
24 		ITA
10 		POL FIN
16 		GER AUS FRA ESP
15 		GBR 13th 9
2016 Abu Dhabi Total WRT Citroën DS3 WRC MON SWE
19 		MEX ARG POR
26 		ITA POL FIN
16 		GER CHN
C 		FRA ESP
12 		GBR AUS NC 0
2017 Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT Citroën C3 WRC MON SWE MEX FRA ARG POR
17 		ITA POL FIN
16 		GER ESP
17 		GBR
22 		AUS NC 0
2018 Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT Citroën C3 WRC MON SWE MEX FRA ARG
14 		POR ITA FIN
37 		GER TUR
15 		GBR ESP
21 		AUS NC 0

PWRC results

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pos. Points
2006 Khalid Al Qassimi Subaru Impreza WRX STi MON MEX ARG GRE JPN CYP
3 		AUS NZL 11th 6

References

  1. ^ "Khalid Al Qassimi". Eurosport. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  2. ^ van der Zee, Tjeerd. "Khaled Al-Qassimi". RallyBase. Retrieved 20 July 2007.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Khalid al-Qassimi.
Sporting positions Preceded byNasser Al-Attiyah Middle East Rally Champion 2004 Succeeded byNasser Al-Attiyah
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