Abdullah Al-Rawahi made motorsport history on Saturday, becoming the first Omani to win Oman Rally Sohar International.
With Jordanian co-driver Ata Al-Hmoud, Al-Rawahi led his SRT Škoda Fabia Evo from start to finish and won by 21min 22.5sec.
The young driver joins veteran Nizar Al-Shanfari (Qatar Rally, 1999) as one of only two Omanis to have won a round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) since it began in 1984.
Al-Rawahi won all 12 tough gravel stages and gained valuable experience in his new car ahead of a full MERC campaign in 2022.
He becomes the 41st different winner in the 221st round of the regional series. Al-Hmoud is the second Jordanian co-driver to win a MERC round: his compatriot Khaled Zakaria took six wins alongside Mohammed Ben Sulayem and one in Jordan with Amjad Farrah.
This is a fantastic result for me and the whole team on my first event in the car. It was a perfect opportunity to gain more experience before next season and to secure a first MERC win. I thank my sponsors, everyone at the Oman Automobile Association for their efforts and the team at SRT for their support.
Abdullah Al-Rawahi
The rest of the field
Qatar’s Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya and Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini recovered from a costly day-one puncture to take second in a Ford Fiesta R5. The former MERC runner-up set a string of second-fastest times on the final day to pass Zakariyah and Mohammed Al-Amri, who won MERC2 in their Subaru Impreza and finished third overall despite mechanical delays on SS12.
Jordan’s Ihab Al-Shorafa and Emad Juma were fourth. Asem Aref and Ahmad Jankhout kept out of trouble in their two-wheel-drive Renault Clio RS to seal the 2021 MERC3 title in the absence of rival and defending champion Henry Kahy, finishing a fine fifth.
Oman’s Faisal Al-Rashdi completed the international finishers in sixth in his Subaru Impreza, while Jarah Al-Touqi retired his Impreza with mechanical problems on stage nine.
Oman Rally Championship
Haitham Al-Soomar could not start the third round of the Oman Rally Championship after Friday’s problems with his Mitsubishi Lancer. Hamed Al-Qasmi had been fastest over day one’s six stages, but an accident on stage eight put his Mitsubishi out, leaving Waheeb Al-Khuraisi and Musaab Al-Soomar to fight for the national win, which Al-Khuraisi took comfortably in his Toyota Yaris.
The 2022 FIA Middle East Rally Championship calendar will be published after the FIA World Council meeting later this month.
Positions after SS12
- 1. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia Evo 2hr 29min 02sec
- 2. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Ford Fiesta R5 2hr 50min 24sec
- 3. Zakariya Al-Amri (OMN)/Mohammed Al-Amri (OMN) Subaru Impreza STi 3hr 07min 50sec
- 4. Ihab Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Emad Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 3hr 09min 30sec
- 5. Asem Aref (JOR)/Ahmad Jankhout (JOR) Renault Clio RS 3hr 48min 20sec
- 6. Faisal Al-Rashdi (OMN)/Waleed Al-Rashdi (OMN) Subaru Impreza WRX 3hr 48min 38sec