Simply Abu Dhabi XXVIII

6 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Other prizes included Best In Show, quite rightly awarded to the luscious whiteCar 22 – the Jaguar XK120Drophead owned byGilbert Ayoubwith co-driver James Iremonger – while the Spirit of the Rally prize went to themajestic BentleyMark VI, Car 27 driven by Beniot Lamonerie and Ali Reza Madhavi. “In motor racing, there’s always a special atmosphere – but in classic car racing it’s outstanding and to get 30 cars at the first event is inmy opinion an absolute success,” Jacky Ickx said. “It’s clear that they found the right people to organise this first edition. I strongly believe that you only succeed when you are surrounded by the right people, and it’s true that with Mohammed Ben Sulayem who gave the permissions to stage the event and the organising body of theATCUAE, Chopard has found the perfect partners in this region,” he added. The Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) of whichDr Mohammed Ben Sulayem is President and FIA Vice President was key to making the Chopard Classic Rally happen from a sporting regulations sense. The support fromAhmed Seddiqi and Sons, representing Chopard in the region, was crucial to ensure the classic rally was a success. “The Chopard Classic Rally is a remarkable display of the brand’s enthusiasmand appreciation for fineworkmanship,” saidMrMohammed Abdulmagied Seddiqi, Chief Commercial Officer of Seddiqi Holding. “Beautifully executed, the rally brought together an esoteric group of individuals passionate about mechanics and aesthetics. As a long-standing partner of Chopard, Ahmed Seddiqi and Sons would like to congratulate all parties involved for a successful event and we look forward to the development of this endeavour,” he added. Other participants also echoed the parting words of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele at the presentation gala dinner when he concluded by saying that he hopes it becomes a regular event. “Many questions have been asked if we are going to continue, and I will tell you that very soon, but I think there’s a very good chance that we will be back,” he said.