Emile Khoueiry and co-driver George Chehwan will contest the 38th Rally of Lebanon, round four of the 2015 Middle East Rally Championship on 4 to 6 September, at their own expense.
We registered on the last legal day because we wanted to wait for financial support, but unfortunately we could not find any sponsor, so we will take part in this event from our own pocket, as they say.
George Chehwan
Chehwan usually drives a Renault Clio in hill climbs. This year he was preparing an Ibiza kit car, but it was not ready in time, so he moved to the co-driver’s seat after Khoueiry asked him to join him in March.
A season of bad luck
Luck has not been on Khoueiry’s side in the 2015 Lebanese championship. At the 31st Spring Rally, the engine of his Renault Clio RS failed seven minutes into the first stage.
At the 4th Jezzine Rally the pair led their class by 12 seconds, but the car slid off on stage four. By the end of stage five, water leaking from the radiator had killed the engine. The car was not ready in time for the 24th Rally of the Cedars, so they chose to focus on the Rally of Lebanon.
The car is now ready, with the finishing touches done. Our goal at the Rally of Lebanon is to reach the finish, cover as many kilometres as possible and not rush, especially as we are not fighting for our class title, which has gone to Majed Khoury, our main rival.
George Chehwan
Chehwan says he has settled in well alongside Khoueiry, as shown in Jezzine, where the pair managed the rally well before the engine problem.
The co-driver’s seat is called the hot seat, and I really experienced that with Emile Khoueiry, who drives very fast in some sections. The Rally of Lebanon is like a school for me, and I had to take part, especially since I have never done it before.
George Chehwan
The Rally of Lebanon covers a total of 794.63 km, including 244.01 km over 13 special stages, among them an opening super special stage in downtown Beirut.