September 8, 2015 – During the 38th Rally of Lebanon weekend, the Automobile & Touring Club of Lebanon (ATCL) hosted a regional meeting for automobile clubs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, in the presence of FIA Vice President Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah, FIA MENA General Coordinator Imad Lahoud and 12 club representatives.
The meeting addressed motorsport in the region and ways of developing it, and a proposal for a Middle East Drift Championship was put forth, with the championship’s rules and regulations expected to reach the FIA very soon; the Middle East Drift Championship will encompass 10 rounds in Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia.
Moreover, a Middle East Hill Climb Championship was discussed, while a provisional 2016 calendar for the Middle East Rally Championship was revealed: Qatar International Rally (February 5-6), Kuwait International Rally (March 24-27), Shiraz Rally (May 26-27), Rally of Lebanon (September 2-4), Cyprus Rally (September 24-25), Jordan International Rally (October 13-14), Oman International Rally (November 4-5), Dubai International Rally (November 25-27).
