Multiple FIA MERC 2 and Group N regional rally champion Meshari Al-Thefiri faces strong opposition as he begins the defence of his MERC 2 title at this weekend’s Qatar International Rally.
The opening round of the 2021 FIA Middle East Rally Championship runs over 11 gravel special stages from Friday to Sunday.
The Kuwaiti has persevered in the region’s secondary series for several years, earning a reputation for consistent finishes and scoring points at vital moments. He contested every round of the shortened 2020 series and defended his MERC 2 title for a third year.
About MERC 2
Cars in the RC2 class and NR4 group score FIA MERC 2 points. The familiar Group N category was officially replaced at the start of the 2013 season, and the subsequent R4 section was phased out in 2015.
These cars, mostly homologated versions of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Subaru Impreza, are four-wheel drive but lack the radical engine tuning and handling upgrades of R5 machines in RC2.
The contenders
Al-Thefiri relies on Qatari co-driver Nasser Al-Kuwari in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. He already has two Group N and four MERC 2 titles.
Rashed Al-Mohannadi and Mohammed Al-Attiyah fly the Qatari flag in MERC 2. Al-Mohannadi partners Jordanian co-driver Yousef Juma in his Subaru Impreza, while Al-Attiyah has Lebanon’s Rony Bou Abdo reading the notes in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. Al-Mohannadi was fifth and eighth overall at the 2018 and 2019 Qatar rallies, third in MERC 2 both times.
Kuwait’s Jassim Al-Muqahwi and Thamer Al-Mutairi drive Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Xs, and Oman is represented by Zakariya Al-Amri and Zakariya Al-Aufi in a Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, co-driven by Mohammed Al-Mazroui and Ammar Al-Bulushi.
Al-Aufi finished fourth overall in Oman last year behind Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, Abdullah Al-Rawahi and Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya, beating Al-Thefiri to the MERC 2 win; that was enough for second in the shortened season’s standings. Al-Muqahwi was fourth.
Lebanon’s Ahmad Khaled completes the MERC 2 contenders in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. A regular in his national championship, he was 11th overall and fourth in MERC 2 at the 2019 Jordan Rally after retiring in Qatar.
He partners experienced Jordanian navigator Musa Djiyerian, who moves from the two-wheel-drive FIA MERC 3 category after a hat-trick of titles with Lebanon’s Asem Aref in 2017 and Henry Kahy in 2018 and 2019. Djiyerian has recovered from injuries suffered in a big crash at the 2019 Sharqia Baja during a Saudi Arabian Rally Raid Championship programme.
Schedule
Crews complete their two days of reconnaissance on Thursday. Friday’s busy timetable ends with the pre-event press conference (19.30hrs), ceremonial start (20.15hrs) and opening super special (21.30hrs) at Katara.
The rally is held under the chairmanship of QMMF President Abdulrahman Al-Mannai, senior committee member Abdulrazaq Al-Kuwari and QMMF Executive Director Amro Al-Hamad.