February 17, 2016 – The Lebanese motorsport community lost a prominent driver this past weekend, Bechara Bachir, one of the most experienced rally drivers in the country, who had raced for more than 25 years.
Bachir, born on March 25, 1964, made plenty of appearances in the Lebanese Rally Championship over the years, scoring multiple victories and podium finishes; He made his motorsport debut in a Mini Cooper and spent most of his career behind the wheel of a Renault Clio RS.
In 2004, Bachir got his first taste of success after he drove a Peugeot 306 S16 alongside co-driver Serge Akiki to an A6 class victory and 3rd in front-wheel drive in that year’s Rally of Lebanon.
He switched from the Peugeot to a Renault Clio RS for his return to racing in the 2008 season, during which he scored a FWD class triumph and fifth place overall in the Spring Rally, alongside co-driver George Nader, to underline his talent.
His third career podium came in the 2010 Cedars’ Rally after he finished 3rd in FWD with new co-driver Ramzi Menhem, only to better this result a year later and add a Class 8 victory (and 2nd in FWD) to his record in the 2011 Spring Rally.
He partnered with co-driver Bechara Haddad, with whom he had raced ever since, for the 2011 Cedars’ Rally; the two Becharas raced to 2nd in FWD in their first event together, and successfully crossed the finish line in the following event, the 2011 Rally of Lebanon, taking fourth in FWD in the Clio RS – a result they also achieved in the following year’s Summer Rally.
Although he couldn’t score a win in 2013, it was one of his best seasons, finishing 2nd in the front-wheel drive class in the Spring Rally and 3rd in FWD in both Summer Rally and Cedars’ Rally, to make it 3 podiums in 3 participations that year.
In 2014, Bechara tackled the full Lebanese Rally Championship, beginning with the Spring Rally, in which he finished 5th in FWD; he improved in Jezzine Rally to cross the finish line 4th in FWD. He retired from the Cedars’ Rally, but more than made up for it by taking another career podium after completing the 2014 Rally of Lebanon in 3rd in FWD.
In what sadly turned out to be his last season, Bechara started the 2015 campaign by finishing the Spring Rally in 5th in FWD, followed by 6th in Jezzine amid increasing competition; the Cedars’ Rally was a race to forget for the second consecutive year as he was forced to retire. However, he looked like he was going to end the season on a high with a 3rd place in front-wheel drive in Rally of Lebanon, but a late mechanical problem robbed him from an additional podium classification on his record.
Bechara wanted to take on a new challenge in 2016 by a driving a new Opel in the Lebanese Rally Championship and Lebanese Hill Climb Championship, but it appears that God has other plans for Bechara, who’s famous for keeping an unshakable smile on his face.
Bachir was a passionate racer, and his passion for the sport was evident through his determination to take part in races without receiving any major financial support and having to rely on self-funding; he also enjoyed great relationships with his fellow competitors and everyone else in the local motorsport scene, including organizers, journalists and photographers.
It is a such a tragic loss for the local motorsport scene. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bechara’s family and friends at this time. Race in peace Bechara!