New award launched.
The 'Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally' award will be presented at the end of every round in the FIA World Rally Championship this season.
The inaugural award was presented to Marcus Gronholm on the eve of his final event - the Wales Rally GB last year to recognise his outstanding contribution to the sport over the last decade.
The new award will be presented to 'any individual who exhibits the values for which the emirate is famous: respect, innovation, integrity and teamwork'.
The 'Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally' award will be presented at the end of every round in the FIA World Rally Championship this season.
The inaugural award was presented to Marcus Gronholm on the eve of his final event - the Wales Rally GB last year to recognise his outstanding contribution to the sport over the last decade.
The new award will be presented to 'any individual who exhibits the values for which the emirate is famous: respect, innovation, integrity and teamwork'.
The award is also designed to continue recognising 'contribution to the sport' and the recipient of the award at each rally will not only be presented with a trophy, they will also receive an invitation to visit Abu Dhabi.
"We are delighted to announce the Abu Dhabi Spirit of the Rally award for each round of the 2008 WRC," said Ahmed Hussein, deputy director general of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. "The reception to the presentation made to Marcus at last year's Wales Rally GB was outstanding and we feel that it is an appropriate way to continue to recognise the efforts and contribution made to the sport by so many people.
"The nature of the WRC means that this award could be won by people from so many different areas; it could be one of the drivers, co-drivers, a team member or even a member of the organisers or a marshal.
"In fact, anyone who displays the value that Abu Dhabi stands for and which the WRC is built on. It is an obvious choice for those individuals to have the chance to visit Abu Dhabi itself and experience what makes the emirate so special."
A panel of experts, including representatives of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and the championship itself, will choose the winner of the award at each event.
The award is part of Abu Dhabi's wider programme to 'develop awareness of the emirate as a destination for leisure, culture and commerce' through the WRC. Indeed in addition to backing the BP Ford World Rally Team, Abu Dhabi is also the 'official destination partner' to the FIA World Rally Championship itself.
