Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah will be hoping to close the gap with FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup leader Vladimir Vasilyev when the Pharaons International Rally gets under way in Egypt today.

Run over seven days, the 2,000km rally is the fifth event of the 10-round championship with Russia’s Vasilyev on 135 points, Poland’s Marek Dabrowski (70) and compatriot Adam Malysz (66) in second and third respectively.

Nasser and Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi are joint fourth with 60 points each.

Nasser skipped the opening three rounds – Russia, Italy and Abu Dhabi – forfeiting 120 points, but ensured he took the maximum in the fourth event in Qatar.

Initially, the Qatari was not expected to do a full round of the World Cup as he was hoping to continue with his World Rally Programme this season, but was forced to rethink plans after sponsors Qatar pulled out of their partnership with M-Sport.

Nasser feels he stands a realistic chance of winning the World Cup for the second time, after first triumphing in 2008 and subsequently focusing his efforts on the WRC and Dakar Rally, finally winning the latter in 2011.

Speaking ahead of today’s first competitive stages, Nasser said: “It has been my dream to compete at the Pharaons Rally this season.

“For me, this rally is a really big thing as I have competed virtually everywhere except at the Pharaons Rally. I know Egypt very well, it is like my second country.”

But it may not be so straightforward for the 44-year-old though, as Al Rajhi will be out to make up for lost points after drawing a blank in Abu Dhabi and Qatar.

Al Rajhi will be behind the wheel of a Toyota Hilux for Overdrive team and the Saudi realises the importance of collecting vital points over the next seven days.

Al Rajhi began his challenge for a first ever World Cup title in devastating style by winning both the shorter Russian and Italian Baja rounds of the championship. But the decision not to drive a Toyota in Abu Dhabi was a costly one as a series of punctures and a rear axle problem sidelined the Riyadh driver in Qatar.

He has now recovered from a health scare at a recent special stage at Rally Jordan and is relishing the challenge of kick-starting his title push.

Overdrive team director Jean-Marc Fortin said: “Yazeed has been given the all-clear to return to racing after being taken ill in Jordan and being forced to miss out on Rally Argentina. He knows the importance of a top three finish in Egypt.”