After the official press conference for launching ROL 2011 we talked to Mr. Fady Aoun about his preparation for ROL 2011, and many other topics. Mr. Fady Aoun Chairman of organizing committee, always dynamic and active, has been working day and night with the ATCL crew to make this event successful similar to every year. Enjoy this interview…
In the Cedars Rally this year, you had an excellent introduction for a very technical, challenging and interesting new stage. How much do you think it will play a definitive role in the Rally of Lebanon this year?
I was obliged to introduce this stage in ROL this year. Let me be very clear. I had a proposal for 4 different Itenerarys. I was very serious about it. There was a proposal for an Itenerary that I prefer. This Itenerary is much more demanding than the one that already exists.
Churchill used to say “”Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat” this is what I promise you.
The Itenerary I preferred was in this context but the guys saw it as not demanding but very tough. Its right, the proposal was very tough. It needed some very brave driving and some very good car preparations and so on. We did a small compromise at the end and we chose Kfarhilda.
If you take the whole history of ROL, there was no stage that was repeated at 2 rallies in the same year. We should be clear about this. This is the first time. This is why some people were surprised about it.
There are some stages that benefit some people, and some other stages that benefit other people. To be very clear, there stages that may give an edge for R4 cars and stages that give an edge for S2000 cars.
The rally is very demanding this year and nobody can play on the level of one stage. Everybody should have the right strategy over the course of the whole rally.
You have spent the last 3 month working hard to make this rally successful. We see that you have been improving every year, correcting every mistake and progressing. How do you think this is reflecting on this annual international rally?
First of all we should be clear that our work on ROL started since December 2010. Our first Itenerary proposal was back then.
We know that your work span over the course of the year but I meant about the procedural things on the ground…
Yes you right and for the past 2 weeks we didn’t even get to sleep. Anyway it’s good that you have asked me this. We should start by defining the Hierarchy.
When you have the head of the pyramid, treating you a fatherly and parental treatment, this helps you work and progress. Mr. Jack Salha communicates with us a parent. He has everybody under his wings and he is dictating the rhythm for us in an amazing way.
Mr. Salha Defines the Guidelines for us, without going into the small details. He is interested in creating a successful work and he is supportive to the maximum. He is open to all suggestions. If he is capable to give he will never say no. I can’t remember a day were I went to him or Mr. Gaby with a doable idea and they have said no.
We do this sport because we love it. We just adore it. Every new regulation that comes out we study and work in it. We do our planning and work with all the professionalism and studying needed. This is all happening because we are in the right environment. There is a good atmosphere. The physical effort is not important when your head is relaxed.
Let me tell you something I always say. The Azimuth might alter. People who understand topography will get me with this right away. It doesn’t mean that if I cannot host a WRC for whatever reason, I can’t work on myself and keep on improving. This doesn’t stop me from doing a rally guide, a program. This year for example we created a DVD for the drivers with all the stages. We defined for them all the stages so they can prepare better for the rally. It will help them with their pace notes too. We were not obliged to do it but it was a good idea and we simply did it. Simple things like that are totally supported by Mr. Salha. This guy is simple amazing. I like to talk about him because he is our torque.
You have been doing some great efforts in terms of Seminars for all the universities and schools in addition to the youth in general, in the topic of safety. How much do you think it is paying dividends with people who are still speeding on the roads?
Speeding on the road is not strictly related to the Seminars I give to people. Many people are really responding but what is the ratio of the people you are really covering.
Let me tell you something, all over the world everybody loves speeding. All around the world people like drifting. At the same time all around the world, the speed limit radars aren’t installed for only one day and then removed for 10 more days. If you look at all our publications you can see that we always promote safety. These safety promotion sentences are very demanded by Mr. Salha himself.
It’s not only about one person it’s about everybody. Nobody likes speeding as I do but I don’t exceed 80km per hour. You cannot predict on the roads in Lebanon. Nothing is created in the right way in the first place. Many factors are contributing in car accidents.
Let us be very clear. Sometimes you cannot blame the driver. Take for example the area of “Alburad Alyunani”, where there is a walking bridge and the people don’t seem to take it seriously. They just don’t use it. They cross the highway just under the bridge so you cannot blae the driver in this case, but in Lebanon, the government still uses old rules. While in Europe they have reached their 7th republic we are still in our first using old rules.
It’s a place full of workers and they cross the road at night wearing dark cloths and sometimes having dark skin. It’s like playing bowling, and it’s a pity. You cannot guess that there is no body passing the road, if you’re driving normally.
They should put limitations on the drivers. Yes reckless drivers should be given black points and should be banned similar to what happens in Europe, where world champions in rally and F1 get such treatment when they drive recklessly and break the rules. In WRC Sweden this year the rules were applied on Petter Solberg and his co-driver Chris Patterson had to drive his car in many places do you to a restriction on him.
We are sorry that in Lebanon we still have the fact that a man who is backed always gets away with it.
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