Mohammed bin Sulayem har over 60 seiere i forskjellige rallyer og nå ser det ut som om det er over for araberen.
Mohammed bin Sulayem har hatt Ford som hovedsponsor de seneste årene, men det har ikke gått så bra for Ford og de har sagt opp sponsoravtalen med Sulayem.Sulayem føler at han ikke klarer å skaffe de nødvendige sponsorene på så kort varsel, og velger derfor å gi seg med rallykjøringen.
Det var Mohammed bin Sulayem som kjørte fra Petter Solberg i Libanon, den gang Petter ble oppdaget av Ford teamet som førte Petter til VM-sirkuset i 1998.
Litt fra Sulayems karriere:
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, chief Organizer of the UAE Desert Challenge, has underlined his stature as the most successful Rally Driver in the history of FIA Championship Rallying.
Sulayem, the Arab world's only A Class Seeded driver, secured an amazing eleventh Middle East Championship triumph by scoring his fourth victory in the Rallye du Liban, 5th round of the 1999 series.
Desert Challenge success:
For all his success, Mohammed says that the growth of the UAE Desert Challenge into the world's premier cross-country rally has given him the most satisfaction. He secured the event's World Cup status with a typically bold maneuver, breaking from practice for the World Championship, San Remo Rally in Italy, and jetting to Paris in bid to persuade the FIA chiefs that the UAE could and would stage the world's best cross-country rally.
Dubai International Rally.
On his home territory, Mohammed is nigh on unbeatable. Twelve wins in the last fifteen years speak volume. In 1999, even after clinching the MIDDLE East Championship in Lebanon, Mohammed completed an emphatic victory in his native Dubai to maintain a three year unbeaten record. The long list of Dubai wins of Mohammed looks like this: 1985,1986,1987,1988,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1997,1998 & 1999.
UAE International Rally.
Until the 2000 event, Mohammed was the only person to have won this event since it was first run in 1996. He won it for the fourth time in 1999, despite a scare at the last service halt which nearly put him out of the race. In 2000, a series of mechanical problems on Leg 1 left him languishing in 9th place, but the most remarkable fight back of his career on Leg 2 lifted him up to finish in third place overall. His UAE International wins occurred in: 1996, 1997, 1998 & 1999
Jordan International Rally.
Mohammed's first International win came in Jordan in 1984 and his record in the Hashemite Kingdom Is an enviable one. He has won the event a total of ten times, recording his most recent win in 2000. The list of his most recent win in 2000. The list of his wins in Jordan reads as follows: 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 & 2000
Bahrain International Rally.
The Bahrain International Rally was a new addition to the FIA Middle East Rally Championship in 2000. Mohammed ensured his place in the event's history by comfortably winning its inaugural running.
Qatar International Rally.
Mohammed has enjoyed considerable success in Qatar over the years. Even after clinching the 1998 Middle East Championship in the previous round in Lebanon, Mohammed competed and won in Qatar. His Qatar International wins occurred in: 1988, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, &2000.
Oman International Rally.
The Oman International Rally was not run between1995 and 1997, nor has it been run since 1999, which makes Mohammed's Omani record all the more impressive. Mohammed missed the event in both 1992 and 1993, as he was competing in the FIA World Rally championship. However, he won the Oman International Rally in the following years: 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1994 &1998 Syrian International Rally.
The Syrian International Rally.
Made a successful debut in May 2000. Although not yet part of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship, the Syrian event's bid to join the championship received a massive boost with Mohammed's participation. It came as no surprise that Mohammed added the inaugural running of the event to his long list of International victories.
Kuwait International Rally.
The Kuwait International Rally was missing from the 1998 Championship circuit and victory in Kuwait for Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Bakhashab in 1997 ensured a close finish to the Championship that season.. Mohammed has won the Kuwait International rally in the following years: 1985, 1988, 1989 & 1996.
Rally du Liban.
Mohammed first won the Rallye du Liban in 1987, but he had to wait ten years before repeating the feat. His Lebanese victories in both 1998 and 1999 ensured that he clinched the Middle East Rally Championship for those seasons. His 1999 title was an unprecedented eleventh Middle East crown. His Rallye du Liba victories came in the following years: 1987, 1997, 1998 & 1999
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Dubai International Rally
Totalseier: 1985, 86, 87, 88, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 2000
2.plass: 83, 84, 89
UAE International Rally
Totalseier: 96, 97, 98, 99, 2001
3.plass: 2000
Qatar International Rally
Totalseier: 88, 90, 91, 96, 97, 98, 2000, 01
2.plass: 84, 85, 86, 89, 94
Rally Of Lebanon
Totalseier: 87, 91, 98, 99
3.plass: 94
Jordan International Rally
Totalseier: 84, 87, 88, 90, 94, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000, 01
2.plass: 85, 86
Oman International Rally
Totalseier: 86, 87, 90, 91, 94, 98
Kuwait International Rally
Totalseier: 85, 88, 89, 96
Bahrain International Rally
Totalseier: 2000, 01
Syria International Rally
Totalseier: 2001
Catalunya Rally (World Rally Championship)
Totalseier: Gruppe N: 1992
Argentina Rally (World Rally Championship)
Totalseier: Gruppe N: 1993
Bosphore Rally (Turkey)
Totalseier: 1991
Rally Palmyra 2000 (Syria)Winner 2000 Jebel Akhbar International Rally (Oman) Winner 1986 Masafi 4WD Rally UAEWinner 1985