The Automobile and Touring Club of Lebanon (ATCL) has officially announced the 47th Rally of Lebanon, to be held from 4 to 7 September 2025 under the patronage of the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun.
The announcement of the rally, the fifth and penultimate round of the 2025 Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), was made at a press conference at the club’s headquarters in Kaslik. Attendees included Jounieh mayor Faysal Efram, ATCL secretary general Camille Eddé, treasurer Gilbert Massihi, board member and motor sport committee chairman Imad Lahoud, board member Daniel Haddad, organising committee chairman Gaby Kraiker, clerk of the course Ziad Jammous, rally officials, sponsors’ representatives and members of the media.
A national event on asphalt
The conference opened with the national anthem and a minute of silence in memory of the late champion driver Rachid Naanaai. Lahoud then welcomed the guests on behalf of ATCL president Nabil (Billy) Karam, who was abroad, and his fellow board members.
The Rally of Lebanon, which started as the Rallye du Mont in 1968, is still a key event in the Middle East Rally Championship and the only rally in the region held on asphalt roads.
Imad Lahoud
Lahoud spoke of the event’s national, sporting and touristic importance and announced that President Joseph Aoun would patronise the 47th edition, thanking him for his support. He also thanked the ministries and public administrations, the security forces, the sponsors, the FIA and its Rally Commission, and the Lebanese media, in particular LBCI, the official live broadcaster of the rally. He urged rally fans to follow the instructions of the organisers and security forces, describing the Rally of Lebanon as “a unifying national occasion” that shows the ability of the Lebanese to face challenges, and thanked the municipalities involved, led by Jounieh.
Route and programme
Organising committee chairman Gaby Kraiker listed the sponsors, led by Coral, and thanked everyone contributing to the rally, including the security forces, the Lebanese Red Cross, the Civil Defence, the municipalities and the rally staff. Around 1,200 volunteers will work on the event.
The rally covers a total distance of 624.41km, including 192.44km over 11 special stages.
- Thursday 4 September: 19:45 drivers’ press conference in front of Jounieh municipality; 20:00 ceremonial start from Jounieh municipality
- Friday 5 September: 14:30 classic car and Porsche Club display at the ATCL in Kaslik; 17:00 opening super special stage at the ATCL in Kaslik
- Saturday 6 September: six special stages in the Jbeil and Batroun districts
- Sunday 7 September: four special stages in North Metn; 17:00 arrival at the ATCL in Kaslik; 17:30 podium ceremony
The service park is located in the outdoor area of the President Fouad Chehab complex in Jounieh, and parc fermé is at the Jounieh Serail car park. Kraiker praised the facilities provided by the municipalities, Jounieh municipality and the President Fouad Chehab Sports Complex.
28 FIA crews plus a national rally
Holding the rally in the difficult circumstances Lebanon is going through is an achievement, and the club has never stopped organising it, even in the darkest times.
Ziad Jammous
Clerk of the course Ziad Jammous announced that entries closed with 28 cars meeting FIA eligibility rules, plus 5 cars in the national rally. Leading the field are Lebanon’s Roger Feghali with co-driver Joseph Matar and Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah with Spanish co-driver Candido Carrera, alongside crews from Lebanon, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Italy, France, Oman and India. Jammous added that the Rally of Lebanon remains the undisputed “star” of Middle East rallies.
Entry list – Rally of Lebanon (MERC)
- 1 Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (Qatar) / Candido Carrera (Spain) – Skoda Fabia RS
- 2 Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (Qatar) / Giovanni Bernacchini (Italy) – Skoda Fabia RS
- 3 Roger Feghali / Joseph Matar – Toyota GR Yaris
- 4 Rabih Ayoub / Georges Nader – Skoda Fabia RS
- 5 Bassel Abu Hamdan (Saudi Arabia) / Firas Elias – VW Polo
- 6 Elias Dehni / Nicola Arena – Skoda Fabia
- 7 Alex Feghali / Marc Haddad (France) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10
- 8 Carl Rizk / Karim Abou Elias – Citroën DS3
- 9 Rodrigue Rahi / Gary Koundakjian – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
- 10 Henry Kahy / Ramy Menhem – Citroën DS3
- 11 Joseph Hindi / Vicken Kanledjian – Renault Clio
- 12 David Mezher / Chady Nasr – Ford Fiesta
- (No. 13 not used)
- 14 Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah (Qatar) / Ziad Chehab – Ford Fiesta
- 15 Tarek Younis / Salim Jleilaty – Skoda Fabia
- 16 Charbel Chebli / Dolyne Chlink – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
- 17 Ahmad Khaled / Omar Mazkour – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10
- 18 Ria Dagher / Nadim Abou Elias – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10
- 19 Abdullah Al Zubair / Taha Al Zadjali (Oman) – Subaru N14
- 20 Mohammad Tajeddine / Samer Sfeir – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10
- 21 Zakariya Al Amri / Mohamed Al Mazrui (Oman) – Subaru Impreza N14
- 22 Jad El-Aawar / Musa Djiyerian (Jordan) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10
- 23 Rayan Khneisser / Christopher Bechara – Peugeot 208 VTi
- 24 Mohammed Al-Marri (Qatar) / Pierre Delrome (France) – Peugeot 208
- 25 Sami Fleifel / Yazan Juma (Jordan) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
- 26 Tony Germanos / Joseph Kmeid – Renault Clio
- 27 Saneem Payyakkal / Musa Sherif (India) – Ford Fiesta
- 28 Nadi Yazbek / Elie Mhanna – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8
- 29 Joanna Hassoun / co-driver to be announced – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9
Entry list – National rally
- 101 Jason Wehbe / Andre Mhanna – Citroën DS3 R1
- 102 Walid Schlink / Andre Achkouty – Renault Clio RS
- 103 Moussa Chebli / Youssef Saleh – Renault Clio
- 104 Joey El Hajj / Naji Sfeir – Hyundai
- 105 Camille Moucharrafieh / co-driver to be announced – Honda R
Questions from the press
ATCL secretary general Camille Eddé said the club will remain a symbol of sport and tourism, highlighting the board’s support for the club’s sporting activities, above all motor sport. Answering questions, Lahoud noted that the FIA is closely aware of the Rally of Lebanon’s high organisational standard and distinguished reputation, Kraiker spoke of the close cooperation with the municipalities along the route, and Jammous explained the work of rally headquarters, including new car-tracking systems introduced for the event.
Jounieh mayor Faysal Efram stressed the long-standing relationship between Jounieh municipality and the ATCL, saying he was pleased the rally would start in front of the municipal building on the evening of Thursday 4 September and that sport is a priority for the city.
I heard the number of volunteers at the rally is close to 1,200 – I will add my name to make it 1,201.
Faysal Efram, Mayor of Jounieh
Read more: the history of the Rally of Lebanon and the Rally of Lebanon roll of honour.