Al Rawahi, Al Hmoud resume Merc title defence in Jordan
AMMAN, JORDAN: Oman’s Abdullah al Rawahi and his Jordanian co-driver Ata al Hmoud resume the bid to retain their FIA Middle East Rally Championship (Merc) titles at this weekend’s Jordan Rally (May 16-18).
The second round of the regional series has attracted 29 entries across the various categories but the Oman Rally Team duo will be focused on the seven-strong Rally2 section and what promises to be a thrilling tussle with title rival and joint defending champion Nasser Saleh al Attiyah, his fellow Qataris Abdulaziz al Kuwari, Khalid al Suwaidi and Nasser Khalifa al Atya, local driver Bader al Fayez and Merc debutant Denis Krotov.
Al Rawahi and Al Hmoud finished third overall at the opening round in Qatar behind two stars from the FIA World Rally Championship, Pierrelouis Loubet and Mads Ostberg. Although the Frenchman and the Norwegian scored points in Qatar, neither are tackling the full regional rally series and that has left Al Rawahi and Al Hmoud in a strong position at this early point in the season. They will again use a Skoda Fabia prepared and run by Autotek Motorsport.
A puncture and suspension issues cost Al Attiyah and his new co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini a finish in Qatar and the multiple winner of the event and the championship is pointless after round one, with Al Rawahi and Al Hmoud already sitting in third place in their respective championships with 25 points apiece.
The Oman Rally Team was forced to miss the second round of the Junior World Rally Championship in Croatia because of a niggling back issue for Al Rawahi, but he has been undergoing treatment and is keen to bounce back strongly in Jordan - an event that he won for the first time last year.
Al Rawahi said: “We are looking forward to the second round of the Middle East Rally Championship. I’ve had a few issues with my back and we’ve been making sure that I’m back into shape. We are still working on that. Hopefully I will be fit to race.
It’s going to be a great challenge, the same as last year. I am hoping to push again and win for the second time and extend the lead in the championship, since the two drivers ahead of me are not participating in the whole championship.”
Al Hmoud added: “Jordan Rally, of course, I am very excited, especially as Abdullah and I won last year. We are looking to win again. For sure, it will not be an easy job especially now Nasser got a new car, which is a bit more advanced than our car. Both are Skoda but he has the latest version (RS). That does not mean we will not fight.
We have the points from Qatar and he has zero points. We have the experience in Jordan. This is my country event and we need to win. We also have another five R5 cars to contend with. It will be a big battle between those cars, but hopefully we can do it.”
Based at the Dead Sea, the Jordan Rally will be fought out over 15 gravel special stages and 223.96 km in a two-day route of 532.39 km.
After the ceremonial start and pre-event press conference on Thursday afternoon, Friday’s action features two passes through the Panorama, Bahath and Baptism
Site stages and a single run through a short stage at the Dead Sea.
Saturday’s action consists of two runs through the Shuna, Rawda, Turki and Suwayma specials in the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea areas before the ceremonial finish at the lowest place on earth later in the afternoon.
FIA MIDDLE EAST RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP – POSITIONS AFTER ROUND 1: 1. Pierre-louis Loubet (FRA) 33 pts 2. Mads Ostberg (NOR) 29 pts 3. Abdullah al Rawahi (OMN) 25 pts 4. Abdulaziz al Kuwari (QAT) 21 pts 5. Nasser Khalifa al Atya (QAT) 17 pts 6. Shaker Sjweihan (JOR) 15 pts 7. Shadi Shaban (JOR) 13 pts 8. Husam Salim (JOR) 11 pts 9. Rashid al Muhannadi (QAT) 9 pts 10. Ihab al Shorafa (JOR) 7 pts 11. Fabid Ahmer (IND) 5 pts 12. Saneem Payyakkal (IND) 4 pts 12. Khalid al Suwaidi (QAT) 4 pts