Omani rally legend Hamed Al-Wahaibi impressed on his international return at the Nicosia-based Cyprus Rally, round four of the 2021 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC). He set fifth and fourth fastest times on the first two stages before a setback on SS3 on Saturday cost him his top-five place.
Supported logistically by Omani delivery and logistics company Asyad Express and Sandan Development LLC (a new industrial area near Muscat), the 53-year-old and co-driver Tony Sircombe were enjoying reviving the partnership that thrived in the FIA World Rally Championship 20 years ago.
Despite the stage-three setback, they will restart under Rally2 rules on Sunday and aim to finish the Cyprus round.
Unfortunately we were not able to finish the stages on the first day. We slipped off the road entering a narrow corner. Tony and I are still learning with the new car and we will try and find out where the error occurred, maybe in the pace notes. We performed well before the accident. The car is in good condition and we can return for the last day.
Hamed Al-Wahaibi
It was just one of those things. A slight mistake in the notes, it appears. It was a narrow corner with a drop off. We knew it tightened but it was a bit deceptive at the beginning. It looked like it was a lot wider than it really is and it put us out.
Tony Sircombe
How the day went
Al-Wahaibi’s first MERC outing since 2011 began on the short but demanding Nikitari gravel stage. His 6min 35.2sec in a Motortune-run Škoda Fabia 1.6 put him fifth, behind three experienced local drivers who knew the stages and defending champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah.
Finding his rhythm, he was fourth fastest on the longer 20.07km Kapouras stage behind early leader Simos Galatariotis, Alex Tsouloftas and Al-Attiyah, moving within 1.1 seconds of Christos Demosthenous’s fourth place.
The loop ended with the first run through Kourdali, at 21.21km the rally’s longest stage. Galatariotis won again to lead Tsouloftas by 27.9 seconds, but Al-Wahaibi went off the road without major damage and was out for the day.
On Sunday crews tackle three twisty stages twice: Lythrodontas (13.01km), Ayios Ephifanios (19.02km) and Ayia Marina (10.96km). The ceremonial finish is at 18.00hrs in Nicosia.