September 12, 2015 – Elie Nehme’s target for the 2015 edition of Rally of Lebanon was to finish in the top 10, and he delivered in the end, crossing the finish line after 3 days of racing in 3rd place in the front-wheel drive class and 8th in the overall standings.
Nehme, alongside co-driver Louay Sakr, had limited testing ahead of the rally, but their participation in the 24th Cedars’ Rally, in which they finished fifth in FWD and 10th overall, helped them prepare the Renault Clio R3 for the biggest event of the year.
However, it was far from an easy task for Nehme, who was facing experienced drivers with faster cars, but consistency and composure were key to his outstanding result.
The 38th Rally of Lebanon consisted of 13 special stages that covered 244.03 kilometers of the rally’s 809.24-kilometer total distance; it kicked off with a super special stage in RPM circuit in Mtein on September 4, followed by six special stages on September 5 and an additional six stages on September 6.
Nehme played it safe, without taking it too easy, which paid off in the end, but his Rally of Lebanon campaign wasn’t trouble-free; he was given an uncompetitive time in SS3 (Toula) after being unable to complete the stage due to an accident, and this ultimately affected his result.
More trouble arrived in the 13th and final special stage (Nahr Ibrahim) when a mechanical issue in the Clio R3 cost Nehme more than 2 minutes, enough to drop him from 2nd in FWD to 3rd in the class, but he fought on and was eventually able to secure a spot on the podium.
Elie Nehme now celebrates three consecutive podium finishes in Rally of Lebanon: he took a 1600cc class win in 2013 onboard a Suzuki Swift Sport, finished second in the front-wheel drive class in the Renault Clio R3 in 2014 and he’s done it again this year, finishing 3rd in the front-wheel drive class onboard the same Clio R3.
For the 2015 Rally of Lebanon, Nehme was backed by USG BORAL and X-Concepts Automobili, both of which have been his main sponsors since the beginning of the season.
“I would like to thank my sponsors USG BORAL and X-Concepts Automobili, who have supported me and believed in me throughout the season. A big thanks to my co-driver Louay Sakr, whose experience and expertise played a big role in my result. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Ghassan Khoury and the team for the great work that they have carried out, in addition to the ATCL, who organized the event.”
Elie Nehme wants to put his 2015 experience to good use next season, and he hopes he can return with an improved and faster car in 2016 for even better results.