The Automobile et Touring Club du Liban (ATCL) has officially announced the 40th Rally of Lebanon, to be held on August 25, 26 and 27 under the patronage of President of the Republic General Michel Aoun, as round four of this year’s Middle East Rally Championship. The announcement was made at a packed press conference at the club’s Kaslik headquarters.
Attendees included ATCL president Sheikh Fouad El Khazen, treasurer Gilbert Messayhi, FIA MENA coordinator Imad Lahoud, board member Dr Georges Ghanimeh, director-general Charbel Gerges, motorsport committee director Gaby Kreiker, organising committee chairman Fady Aoun, clerk of the course Issam Hatti, Fouad Chehab Sports Complex director Fouad Saliba, sponsors and the media.
The Rally of Lebanon has a special character and the club has organised it successfully for many decades. This year it will be under the patronage of President Michel Aoun, and we thank him for his patronage amid calm political and security conditions. I wish all the drivers success and call on everyone to respect safety.
Sheikh Fouad El Khazen
Messayhi saluted the hundreds of people whose passion drives them to make the event a success, saying the club organises the rally to the highest FIA standards, which has earned it constant praise, particularly for safety, “unlike what happens in a number of rallies in Arab countries and around the world”. He thanked the media, official broadcaster LBC, public bodies, humanitarian organisations, the armed forces and everyone working on the rally.
The Rally of Lebanon is the most important rally in the whole region. There is international media interest, especially from Eurosport, with live coverage on LBC, and we hope the Rally of Lebanon will become a round of the World Championship in the future.
Imad Lahoud
Kreiker thanked the ministries, the Red Cross, civil defence, the army and security forces, and the sponsors led by Banque Misr Liban, Total and Ford.
Route
Aoun said the rally covers 672.75km, including 206.30km over 11 special stages, among them a super special at the RPM circuit in Mtein as last year. Rally headquarters is at the club, parc fermé at the Fouad Chehab complex in Jounieh, and refuelling points in Yarita and Baabdat. The opening ceremony is at 16:00 on Friday, August 25, at RPM, followed at 18:00 by the head-to-head super special stage. Cars restart at 07:00 on Saturday and 08:00 on Sunday, with the podium ceremony at 16:30 on Sunday.
32 cars
Hatti announced 32 cars, led by 12-time winner Roger Feghali, Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (who has never won the event), Abdo Feghali, defending winner and 2016 Lebanese champion Tamer Ghandour, 2016 MERC 2 champion Rodolphe Asmar and Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri, the current MERC 2 leader. In total there are 28 Lebanese drivers, one Qatari and two Kuwaitis, plus two French and two Jordanian co-drivers.
There is no fear for the Rally of Lebanon despite the absence of several rallies in the region because of wars in a number of Arab countries. As long as there is the ATCL there will be rallies in Lebanon, and the club hosts training courses for young and promising drivers.
Imad Lahoud