June 23, 2017 – Roger Bridi decided to return to the Lebanese motorsport scene this year after a long time away from the sport. He competed in the opening round of the Lebanese Speed Test Championship and Lebanese Hill Climb Championship as part of his full-time comeback. In this interview, we discuss his previous appearances, his decision to return, his current and future plans and more.
Q: Roger, this season marks your return to Lebanese motorsport after a long absence. Tell us about your history in local motorsport.
A: Indeed, this season marks my return after 6 years away from the sport. I first competed in the Lebanese Speed Test Championship – winning the Group N class title – and Lebanese Hill Climb Championship in 2008 and I joined the Lebanese Rally Championship a year later in 2009. I kept racing until 2011 and honestly, it wasn’t a great experience because there was no proper guidance, the sort of guidance that you now see with Rodolphe Asmar, Patrick Njeim and Matthias Njeim who are all part of the Motortune Racing Academy.
Q: You’re competing in the Lebanese Speed Test Championship and Lebanese Hill Climb Championship this year on a Renault Clio Proto. What encouraged you to make that comeback?
A: I have always been following all local championships, but I didn’t have the time to compete due to work commitments, and rallying requires a lot of dedication. My schedule freed up a bit this year, which allowed me to join the Hill Climb and Speed Test championships. I can’t describe how happy I am to be back in the midst of the competition, and with the right guidance we can improve quite quickly.
Q: What is your target for both championships, knowing you already completed the first round in both?
A: There was a gap to my front-wheel drive competitors in Deir El Qamar Hill Climb, after which I was able to learn from my mistakes and see where I can improve for the next race. The aim is now to reduce that gap, compete for the podium and extract the maximum out of the car. However, I think Patrick Njeim is unreachable and I believe he’s the benchmark in the category and we need to learn from him; he’s a fantastic driver and he’s got the right car, so I think he’s unbeatable.
As for the Speed Test championship, I think I’m disadvantaged because I think the track suits Amateur class cars more. We made some improvements to the car, but you cannot change its nature and I think that the car is more suited to Hill Climb racing.
Q: Is there a plan to return to the Lebanese Rally Championship?
A: Lenovo and Yummi Bouquet, which are my main sponsors, have a long-term plan. However, we’re still in the testing phase and they need to know that they’re investing in the right person. There is no plan to join the Rally championship this year as I don’t think I have the time, but I might return next year and it really all depends on my results this season. I might race an R3 Maxi next year in the full Hill Climb championship and Rally of Lebanon, but there’s still no concrete plan. I think my return to the Lebanese Rally Championship would most probably be with Motortune Racing as I’ve observed their work and I think they have outstanding attention to detail; I don’t know Roger (Feghali), nor does he know me, but I’ve seen his work and I think it would be an honor to work with him and his team.
Q: Do you feel a difference in terms of organization, back in 2008 compared to now?
A: I’m glad you asked this question because I think Mr. Imad Lahoud is doing a great job. There was a gap between ATCL and the drivers, and he has managed to close that gap and bring them together. Moreover, he’s working on a lot of projects that haven’t been executed yet. So yes, I can sense a difference in terms of organization and I would like to thank Mr. Lahoud for his efforts.
Q: Who helped make this comeback possible? Who would you like to thank?
A: Firstly, I would like to thank Richard Ibrahim and the whole RB Group team for helping me out all the time. They criticize constructively and they’re always supportive, and they’re one of the main reasons I’m back in the game. Of course, I want to thank my sponsors as well Lenovo and Yummi Bouquet; we might also have a third sponsor this year, and it’s partially thanks to you guys and your great coverage.