This is the second part of the post-race interviews at Hammana yesterday where we asked the drivers for their quick view of yesterday’s 4×4 event, the first one this year.
Rashid Naanai
Always fast on your range rover, tell us more about today.
Very nice track and organization, but the track was narrow for my large wheel base range rover, so I had problems and difficulties on the corners, and I hit many pickets; so I was penalized. But I was having fun. I don’t care about the results I have good sportsmanship and I was here to enjoy my day.
I want to thank the Prime Minister Najib Mikati who always sponsorme. I was planning to buy a new car, but I postponed the plan because ATCL decided to organize 3 criteriums this year without any rally. So It’s illogical to pay around 50 000$ to race on narrow tracks, I prefer to have fun on my range rover until a rally will be organized.
Finally I want to thank lebanonoffroad.com biser3a.com the Lebanese army , the red cross, and all guys that supported us today
Raymond Saade
Congratulations Raymond for being the fastest today. Accurate ride, long jumps, all without any penalties. Tell us more about your day and how do you after the win?
Garage Charbel Helo prepared for us a very strong car, that can resist for days of tough offroad racing without any problems. I didn’t push during the first run to test what other competitors can do, I had a puncture during the second run so I couldn’t give my best but this is racing.
I was driving on high ratio gearbox with a maximum speed of more than 100km/hr.
All the mechanical parts of the jeep Cherokee are still original I did some modification especially regarding the electrical components. Thanks for Charbel Helo, auto francis, and all my friends in the offroad community.
Marc Chidiac
Marc Chidiac you are well known to drive a 4×4 as a rally car and this is your advantage. Tell us about today and are you planning for the next criteriums?
The motorsport observers realized that I use the rally techniques on a 4×4, but the problem is that I don’t have a powerful engine so I have to compromise this way. The engine has only 172 HP ;in comparison with the 320HP engines of my competitors. I am satisfied with the results. I had a broken part during the 3rd run so I preferred to drive safely and responsibly without jumping. Mostly on the 4th gear so I could end the race on the podium, as I promised my son. I was driving with my gearbox shifted on high, I installed low ratio differentials, so I could drive on high rpm 4th and 5th gears and reach a speed of 100km/hr.
I will race this season on the same car, but I promised my friends to stand on the first step of the podium. Finaly I want to thank my sponsors; Malak al towouk, GM food, Garage chady khalife Ralf Chidiac, sako the electrician, the guys of achkout, ATCL and otv for the coverage
Sleiman Khattar
Quote from Sleiman on the race
I enjoyed racing today here between the pines, with nice side views and large number of supporters, but I always wanted to change this kind of 2 minutes race to a longer one where the components of the car should support hours of stress, so we can test the resistance of the cars and pilots strategies instead of a full power ride that ends with broken parts.
Interviews by www.biser3a.com and www.lebanonoffroad.com