Ford Focus Rabaa Rally teams arrive in Abu Dhabi

With four challenges completed, the competing teams in the Ford Focus Rabaa Rally make their way to Abu Dhabi today to complete the fifth leg of the first ever interactive inter-GCC rally.

Hosted by DJ, music producer and radio presenter Danny Neville, the Ford Focus Rabaa Rally [referring to a gang of friends in Khaleeji dialect] takes GCC teams to each of the Gulf countries to compete in a series of tasks and challenges. Teams score based on their skills and performances rather than speed, as well as the level of online and offline participation and support of their country’s fans.

The competing teams successfully completed a previous series of challenges in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar with the support of their captains and the teams’ online fans on Ford’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/FordMiddleEast. Fans can help their favourite team win additional points by taking part in the online team challenges on Facebook, similar to the pit crews in a real race.

Teams competing in the UAE capital will put their endurance to test – physical and mental. Quick thinking, physical ability and strength will help the teams carry out their tasks successfully. The actual challenges are kept secret and only revealed just before start, which adds to the excitement factor both for the teams and their fans.

Paul Anderson, Marketing director of Ford Middle East said: “We welcome the Ford Focus Rabaa teams to the UAE and congratulate them for completing four previous challenges and reaching this far with the all-new Ford Focus. The final is just around the corner and soon, one team will clinch the Ford Focus Rabaa Rally title. Online fan support is absolutely crucial to the teams’ success as they will not only help make a difference in their favourite team’s score, but they will be engaged throughout the rally as they are given various online challenges that could also help them win an all-new 2012 Ford Focus!”

Fans are able to follow the action on the Ford Middle East Facebook page and support their favourite team by serving as virtual pit crew, and gain points for their chosen team by taking the online challenges. Ford is also producing an on-line video diary documenting the rally activities, with a new entertaining video episode produced and posted each day of the rally.

The GCC Teams of the Ford Focus Rabaa are led by GCC-celebrities, Anas Bukhash (CEO and Managing Partner – Ahdaaf Sports Club), Nabil Al Busaidi Nabil Al Busaidi (Arab Adventurer), Ismail Abdulatif (Football Striker and Winger, Al Muharraq Club), Abdu Aziz Hassan (Vice President – Qatar Club), Barakat Al Wegyan (TV presenter, Al Watan TV), and Khalid Khalifa (Comedian).

From Abu Dhabi, the teams are going to drive to Muscat, Oman (May 2) and then back to the UAE with the final being held at the iconic Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE (May 3).

The successful team to finish all seven challenges and earn the most points overall will win an all-new 2012 Ford Focus for each team member.  A lucky online fan who has supported the challenges will also win a brand new 2012 Ford Focus.

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