The 41st Rally of Lebanon, organised by the Automobile et Touring Club du Liban (ATCL) under the patronage of President of the Republic General Michel Aoun, runs from Friday, July 6, to Sunday, July 8, as round three of the 2018 Middle East Rally Championship. The route covers 769km, including 222.86km over 11 special stages, among them the opening Total super special on Friday evening at the RPM circuit in Mtein, run anti-clockwise.
Friday’s programme starts with scrutineering from 08:00 at the Xtreme 4×4 garage in Mtein. At noon, Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, Roger Feghali, Rodolphe Asmar, Eddy Abou Karam, Patrick Njeim, Czech driver Vojtěch Štajf and Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri hold a joint press conference at the Villagio resort in Mrouj. The opening ceremony at RPM at 15:45 features a demonstration by former Lebanese rally and hill climb champion Nabil Karam and Yokohama drift shows, before the President’s representative and club officials flag off the cars for the Total super special, the only stage of day one.
Entry list
Leading the entry are defending winner and record 13-time winner Roger Feghali, chasing a 14th title, Rodolphe Asmar, Eddy Abou Karam, Rodrigue Rahi, the Njeim brothers Patrick, Mathias and Christopher, multiple Middle East champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, who has yet to win in Lebanon, Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri and Czech driver Vojtěch Štajf.
- Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (Qatar) / Mathieu Baumel (France), Ford Fiesta R5
- Roger Feghali / Joseph Matar, Skoda Fabia R5
- Rodolphe Asmar / Ziad Chehab, Skoda Fabia R5
- Eddy Abou Karam / Joseph Kmeid, Hyundai i20 R5
- Vojtěch Štajf / Marcela Ehlová (Czech Republic), Skoda Fabia R5
- Patrick Njeim / Thierry Rouhana, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
- Rodrigue Rahi / Georges Nader, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
- Meshari Al-Thefiri / Mubarak Al-Thefiri (Kuwait), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
- Raafat Al Mohtar / Rony Abou Abdo, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
- Henry Massaad / Roger Ghosn, Citroën DS3
- Michel Saliby / Rony Maroun, Ford Fiesta R5
- Nassib Nassar / Georges Daibes, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
- Ziad Feghali / Jihad Hachem, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
- Rony Kanaan / Samer Sfeir, Citroën DS3
- Mathias Njeim / Boudi Abi Nader, Peugeot 208
- Wadih Chlink / Doline Chlink, Renault Clio R3
- Tarek Younes / Nader Hamzeh, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
- Bassel Abou Hamdan / Firas Elias, Citroën DS3
- Elie Nehme / Chadi Beyrouthy, Renault Clio R3
- Elias Aoun / Amin Akl, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8
- David Mezher / Chadi Nasr, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
- Ahmad Khaled / Dany Kairouz, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8
- Fadi Feghali / Antoine Salem, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
- Abdullah Al-Rawahi (Oman) / Ata Al-Hmoud (Jordan), Subaru Impreza STi
- Ismat Seifi / Omar Mazkour, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
- Elie Chachati / Othman Hamdar (Kuwait), Subaru Impreza WRX STi
- Henri Kaai / Moussa Djirian (Jordan), Skoda Fabia 1.6
- Christopher Njeim / Samer Matar, Suzuki Swift 1.6
- Elie Ghanem / Mickey Assaf, Peugeot 206 RC
The final list was due to be published after scrutineering on Friday. After the super special, cars return via Mrouj, Bologna, Khenchara, Bikfaya, Zabbougha, Ajaltoun, Achkout, Ghosta and Harissa to parc fermé at the Fouad Chehab Sports Complex in Jounieh, before day two starts at 07:00 on Saturday.