Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah came through one of the most action-packed days in recent FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) history relatively unscathed to hold an outright lead of 8min 03.9sec in the 25th Kuwait International Rally on Friday.
The first loop of three of the day’s six stages in the deserts south of Kuwait City decimated the field, and only four FIA cars and one National Rally entrant completed the whole day’s route.
It was not easy today. It was difficult to see the lines with the conditions and we missed the track a couple of times. There were no lines so I needed to concentrate hard. We had a flat tyre and a little scare when I thought the clutch was slipping, but I have a big lead to conserve on Saturday and it’s looking good for the championship.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
Kuwaiti driver Meshari Al-Thefiri remains on course for a fourth MERC 2 or Group N showroom title. He and Qatari navigator Nasser Al-Kuwari overcame a minor scare before service and a drive shaft failure on the last stage to end the day second.
Lebanon’s Henry Kahy and Jordanian navigator Musa Djiyerian survived the carnage to hold an unlikely third overall in a two-wheel-drive Škoda Fabia, the points securing the 2018 MERC 3 title for ‘Henry the Third of Kuwait’ and his delighted navigator.
Former QMMF President and FIA Vice-President Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah continued his impressive comeback and looked set for third, but a cruel mechanical problem on the last stage put him into Rally 2 territory.
Kuwaitis Jassim Al-Muqahwi and Tamer Al-Mutairi were the only National Rally crew to complete the day.
Štajf’s title hopes hang by a thread
Vojtěch Štajf’s MERC title challenge hung by a thread after the Czech badly damaged his Škoda Fabia R5 on the fourth stage, dropping from second to fifth. His crew faced a race against time to repair the car for a Rally 2 restart on Saturday after he stopped again having lost his way on the fifth stage.
I don’t know what happened. The visibility was not good and we hit this hole and the car rolled.
Vojtěch Štajf
Attrition was high on the first loop, with all but six FIA entrants and two National Rally cars retiring. Drive shaft problems accounted for Rashed Al-Nuami and Ihab Al-Shorafa, engine trouble hit Shadi Shaban and electrical gremlins stopped Abdullah Al-Ruwahi. Fuel feed issues caused by a blown fuse robbed Khaled Juma of a possible fourth place after the regroup.
The event is organised by the Basil Salem Al-Sabah Motor Racing Club (BMRC) under the chairmanship of Sheikh Athbi Nayef Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, with the General Authority for Sport and the Kuwait International Automobile Club (KIAC). Zain Kuwait is the main sponsor.
How Friday unfolded
The brand-new 15.10km KMT stage opened the day for 10 FIA crews and three national teams. Overnight leader Al-Attiyah set the target time of 7.21.8sec to extend his lead over Štajf to 17.3 seconds; at one point, around 10km in, tracking showed his Ford flat out on the rev limiter at over 180km/h.
Al-Thefiri beat Juma by 48.2 seconds to extend his MERC 2 lead, but drive shaft problems stopped Qatar’s Rashed Al-Nuami, sixth at the start of the day. Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah moved up to fourth, while Al-Rawahi kept losing time with a misfiring Subaru, a problem since the Jordan Rally, and retired after the stage.
The National Rally field shrank to two when Salem Al-Thefiri’s Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII was destroyed by fire; neither crew member was hurt. Jordanians Ihab Al-Shorafa and Shadi Shaban also retired their Mitsubishis with drive shaft and engine problems.
On the 18.22km Nuwaiseeb stage Al-Attiyah clocked 9min 44.6sec. Štajf lost more time, and the Qatari led by 1min 04.3sec despite struggling to find the right line on the virgin sand. Al-Thefiri was second fastest and moved 1min 36.3sec ahead of Nasser Khalifa in MERC 2.
Only six FIA crews and two national runners started the longest stage, Al-Zour (22.46km). Al-Attiyah was fourth fastest in 14min 15.7sec but picked up a puncture after hitting a sand bank seven kilometres from the finish. Al-Thefiri, 39.6 seconds slower, moved ahead of Štajf at the midday break after the Czech rolled, was passed by Juma and suffered heavy front-end damage, losing five minutes and dropping to fifth behind Nasser Khalifa and Juma, who had his own serious fuel feed problems.
Mohammed Al-Thefiri retired at the end of SS3, leaving Jassim Al-Muqahwi as the only National Rally survivor.
So far, so good, but we had a flat tyre seven kilometres from the end of the last stage when I clipped a sand bank. We carried on but the tyre began to shred quite quickly. I also feel that the clutch could be slipping. It’s a new one, so the team can carry out a few checks at the service.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
It was going well and I am happy with second place but we had a heavy landing over a jump on the third stage and I have noticed a noise from the transmission. It is something that we must look at.
Meshari Al-Thefiri
It has not been easy and I am taking my time getting used to the car and the stages. It has not been easy to see the route with the light and we lost our way in one stage for a few seconds. I have pushed in places and am enjoying it so far.
Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah
The KMT re-run followed in warm, overcast conditions. Al-Attiyah was nine seconds slower than in the morning at 7min 30.1sec, leading by 2min 25.4sec. Al-Thefiri held second and Nasser Khalifa third, but Štajf lost his way, rejoined the route and then stopped before the finish with technical problems. Henry Kahy climbed to fourth in his quest for the MERC 3 title.
Just four FIA cars and one National entrant started the Al-Zour re-run (SS6). Al-Attiyah completed it in 9min 50.1sec; Al-Thefiri stayed second and Nasser Khalifa held third despite losing over two minutes, while Kahy set the third-fastest time, though he risked penalties for possible route violations.
On the second pass through Al-Zour, which ended the day, Al-Attiyah was 28 seconds faster than in the morning to confirm an 8min 03.9sec lead over Al-Thefiri, who suffered a drive shaft failure. Kahy was third and confirmed the MERC 3 crown, although penalties were expected after his tracking and route data were reviewed before the Stewards’ meeting. Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah hit a devastating mechanical problem within sight of the finish and faced a Rally 2 restart.
Saturday
The final six stages run in the southern deserts in two loops of three: Bnader (11.88km) from 10.00hrs, Julai’a (13.03km) at 10.33hrs and Arifjan (17.42km) from 11.11hrs. After a midday regroup and service at Kuwait Motor Town, they are repeated at 13.24hrs, 13.57hrs and 14.35hrs, with the podium finish at Kuwait Motor Town at 16.30hrs.