Al-Attiyah Secures Record-Breaking Eighth Win at Oman International Rally
SOHAR (OMAN): Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, alongside his new Spanish co-driver Candido Carrera, claimed a dominant victory at the 28th Oman International Rally on Saturday afternoon, winning by an impressive 6 minutes and 13.6 seconds. Al-Attiyah’s victory not only marked his record-breaking eighth win in Oman but also his 87th career victory in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), with a seventh different co-driver. He won nine of the 13 special stages, including the Power Stage finale.
“It’s been a great weekend,” Al-Attiyah said. “I’m still tired from Dakar, but we enjoyed it a lot, with a new location for the Oman Rally, a new co-driver, and a new car this year. The Power Stage was fantastic, and I’m really happy with our performance.”
Co-driver Candido Carrera reflected on his debut MERC win: “This is my first time here, and the stages were really nice. It was my first rally with Nasser, and we took it step-by-step with the pace notes. The surface here is different from the WRC, harder and with fewer references, but I really liked it.”
Saudi driver Rakan Al-Rashed, paired with Portugal’s Hugo Magalhães, secured second place in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2. Despite two flat tyres on the opening stage, Al-Rashed managed to adjust his pace and finish behind Al-Attiyah. He said: “It’s been a long time since I’ve been back in this championship, and to finish behind Nasser is very special. We’ve learned a lot and are preparing for Qatar.”
Qatar’s Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah, with Lebanese co-driver Ziad Chehab, took a solid third place in his Ford Fiesta, while veteran Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, despite a penalty from a stage crash, started the final day in third position before retiring due to suspension issues on the penultimate stage. His exit allowed Rashid Al-Muhannadi and Gary Mcelhinney, in a Peugeot 208 Rally 4, to take fourth, although they encountered damage to their car just before the final stage.
Other notable finishes included Jordan’s Shadi Shaban and Samer Issa, who took fifth place in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, and Oman’s Abdullah Al-Zubair and Taha Al-Zadjali, who won the MERC2 category and finished in sixth place with their Subaru Impreza.
The rally also saw mixed fortunes for other competitors. Saudi driver Ibrahim Al-Muhanna placed seventh, while Abdullah Al-Rawahi and Ata Al-Hmoud, benefiting from multiple fastest times and some late retirements, managed to finish eighth in their Škoda Fabia RS. Several other crews, including those of Shadi El-Fakih and Yosra Jazzar, completed the rally but did not make the top positions.
In the Oman National Rally, Zakariya Al-Ofi, partnered with Mutasim Al-Balushi, claimed victory in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, while Salim Al-Tauqi and Haitham Al-Zadjali rounded out the podium.
2025 Oman International Rally – Final Standings (after SS13):
- Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Candido Carrera (ESP) – Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 – 2hr 12min 27.3sec
- Rakan Al-Rashed (SAU)/Hugo Magalhães (PRT) – Toyota Yaris Rally 2 – 2hr 18min 40.9sec
- Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Ziad Chehab (LEB) – Ford Fiesta Mk II Rally 2 – 2hr 36min 32.9sec
- Rashid Al-Muhannadi (QAT)/Gary McElhinney (IRL) – Peugeot 208 Rally 4 – 2hr 45min 51.5sec
- Shadi Shaban (JOR)/Samer Issa (JOR) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X – 2hr 48min 06.7sec
- Abdullah Al-Zubair (OMN)/Taha Al-Zadjali (OMN) – Subaru Impreza – 2hr 52min 30.6sec
- Ibrahim Al-Muhanna (SAU)/Ali Hassan Obaid (ARE) – Can-Am Maverick X3 – 3hr 05min 07.8sec
- Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) – Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 – 3hr 12min 16.3sec
- Shadi El Fakih (LBN)/Joseph Kmeid (LBN) – Renault Clio Rally 5 – 3hr 30min 35.6sec
- Yosra Jazzar (SAU)/Faisal Al-Suwayh (SAU) – Can-Am Maverick X3 – 3hr 42min 46.0sec
- Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMN)/Mohammed Al-Mazroui (OMN) – Subaru Impreza – 3hr 48min 05.6sec
The 2025 MERC season continues in Qatar from February 6–8.
