A Landmark World Vice-Champion Title for Lebanese Motorsport
Lebanon has taken its place among the giants of off-road racing thanks to one man: Rafic Eid, the rider who carried the cedar flag across the world’s most unforgiving rally tracks. Against more than a hundred competitors representing dozens of nations, Eid delivered a season of determination, mastery, and resilience to become vice-champion of the Baja World Cross-Country Rally Championship.
This achievement is more than a personal triumph. It is a historic milestone for Lebanese motorsport, proving that a rider from a small Mediterranean nation can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the greatest desert specialists on earth.
🌍 A Season of Extremes: How a Vice-Champion Was Forged
Terrains That Break Machines — and Riders
From the early rallies in the heart of Arabia to the final showdown in the Emirates, Rafic Eid sculpted his world-class campaign through relentless focus and methodical performance. The world championship calendar pushed riders through:
- towering dune ranges,
- brutal rockbeds,
- unpredictable sandstorms,
- mud-laden plains,
- and endless high-speed desert tracks.
On his Honda CRF 450 Factory, Eid handled each challenge with precision and grit. His ability to read the terrain, manage pace, protect his machine, and stay mentally sharp allowed him to accumulate a powerful points total — enough to take second place worldwide, just behind Emirati champion Mohammed Al-Balooshi.
It was a season marked not by one extraordinary ride, but by continuous excellence, the signature of a true contender.
🏅 The Final World Ranking
- Mohammed Al-Balooshi (UAE)
- Rafic Eid (Lebanon)
- Javier Puerta (Spain)
- Jorge Brandão (Portugal)
- Konrad Dabrowski (Poland)
- Alex Maclense (Great Britain)
- Philipp Hurlmann (Germany)
- Paulo Cardoso (Portugal)
These standings place Lebanon in a category traditionally dominated by nations with vast desert heritage — a remarkable shift that highlights Eid’s exceptional season.
🔥 From Strong Contender to Global Force
A Rider Who Evolved Into a Strategic Master
Eid’s transformation over recent seasons is unmistakable. Previously ranked among the top competitors and recognized among the veterans, he elevated his performance dramatically this time, turning consistency into dominance.
His riding style blends:
- aggression without recklessness,
- precision without hesitation,
- endurance without compromise,
- speed without losing control.
Few riders manage to combine physical strength, navigation expertise, mechanical sensitivity, and mental clarity the way he does. This complete skill set is what enabled him to break into the highest tier of the sport.
🚩 All Roads Now Lead to the Dakar
A Lebanese Athlete Targeting a Legendary Podium
With a world vice-champion title now secured, Rafic Eid sets his sights on the most demanding rally on the planet: the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia — the ultimate test of navigation, endurance, bravery, and mechanical survival.
Eid aims not for a simple finish, but for a historic podium — one that would redefine Lebanon’s presence in global motorsport.
To reach that level, he has entered a carefully structured training phase that includes:
- intense dune-navigation sessions,
- deep-desert endurance simulations,
- strategic high-tempo riding drills,
- and equipment refinement with the Honda factory rally team.
At Dakar, riders face relentless stages, marathon sectors that leave no room for error, and terrain designed to expose every weakness. Yet this time, Eid arrives stronger, more experienced, and armed with the confidence of a world vice-champion.
A New Era for Lebanon in International Rally Raid
Rafic Eid’s success is more than a sporting accomplishment — it is a national landmark. His journey proves that talent, discipline, and determination can elevate Lebanon to the highest platforms of world motorsport, even in disciplines dominated by desert superpowers.
Now, with the Dakar on the horizon, Lebanon watches with hope and pride.
A new page in rally-raid history is about to be written — and it may carry the cedar emblem at its top.
