Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and co-driver Matthieu Baumel (Volkswagen Polo GTI) won the 44th Coral Rally of Lebanon, the fifth and final round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship, organised by the Automobile and Touring Club of Lebanon (ATCL) under the patronage of President of the Republic General Michel Aoun. Bassel Abu Hamdan and Firas Elias (Skoda Fabia) finished second, with Tamer Ghandour and Salim Jleilaty (Skoda Fabia) third.
The rally – 478.83km including 286.53km over ten special stages – was the perfect event for “Superman” Al-Attiyah, who closed the regional season by winning the Rally of Lebanon for a second time after 2019 and claiming his 19th Middle East title in a career packed with achievements.
A controlled final day
With Roger Feghali out on Saturday, Al-Attiyah faced no real challenge and held a firm grip on the lead, leaving the others to fight for second. He drove Sunday’s stages calmly and carefully to avoid any surprise that could cost him a second Rally of Lebanon win.
On the five Jbeil-district stages, Ghandour was fastest on SS6 ahead of Al-Attiyah. Al-Attiyah took SS7 from Ghandour and Abu Hamdan, keeping a big margin over both. Ghandour won SS8 ahead of Al-Attiyah. On the penultimate SS9, Al-Attiyah pushed to set the fastest time ahead of Ghandour and Abu Hamdan – the gap to Abu Hamdan, who proved his class and skill, exceeding five minutes. Al-Attiyah also won the final SS10, again from Ghandour and Abu Hamdan.
Dehni’s treble, Fakieh takes Group N
A highlight was “the arrow” Elias Dehni, who won the Rally of Lebanon front-wheel-drive class and, with it, the 2022 Middle East and Lebanese front-wheel-drive titles – a treble. In Group N, Chadi Fakieh and Samer Sfeir (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) took the class win.
Final classification
- Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (Qatar) / Matthieu Baumel (Andorra) – Volkswagen Polo GTI: 1h52m24s
- Bassel Abu Hamdan / Firas Elias – Skoda Fabia: 1h58m16s
- Tamer Ghandour / Salim Jleilaty – Skoda Fabia: 1h58m26s
- Chadi Fakieh / Samer Sfeir – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9: 2h04m27s
- Alex Feghali / Marc Haddad (France) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 2h06m27s
- Elias Dehni / Amine Akl – Citroën DS3: 2h07m57s
- David Mezher / Chady Nasr – Citroën DS3: 2h12m50s
- Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah (Qatar) / Giovanni Bernacchini (Italy) – Ford Fiesta: 2h14m17s
- Henry Kahy / Carlos Hanna – Citroën DS3: 2h19m20s
- Nidal Al Jurdi / Adham Al Jawhari – Renault Clio: 2h20m38s
- Ahmad Khaled / Musa Djiyerian (Jordan) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 2h27m04s
- Issa Abu Jamous / Emad Juma (Jordan) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9: 2h36m13s
- Ihab Al-Shurafa / Yousef Juma (Jordan) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 2h38m35s
- Charbel Chebli / Dolyne Chlink – Suzuki Swift: 2h40m16s
- Joanna Hassoun / France Souhaid – Renault Clio: 2h40m36s
- Joseph Hindi / Georges Nader – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 2h41m39s
- Yousef Al-Dhafeeri (Kuwait) / Ziad Bardawil – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 2h43m10s
- Walid Schlink / Andre Achkouty – Renault Clio: 2h53m29s
- Tony Germanos / Elie Mhanna – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9: 2h54m42s
- Jason Wehbe / Gary Koundakjian – Skoda Fabia: 3h18m43s
Class awards
- Front-wheel drive (rally and MERC title): Elias Dehni / Amine Akl
- MERC Group N cup for the event: Alex Feghali / Marc Haddad
- Group N and homologation cup, Rally of Lebanon: Chadi Fakieh / Samer Sfeir
- MERC Group N title: Issa Abu Jamous / Emad Juma (Jordan)
- Ladies’ Cup: Joanna Hassoun
- Young driver cup: Charbel Chebli
- Young co-driver cup: Dolyne Chlink
Podium ceremony
The winners were crowned in the presence of Tourism Minister Walid Nassar, representing the event’s patron President Michel Aoun; ATCL president lawyer Elie Assaf; vice-president Assaad Mirza; secretary-general Camille Eddé; treasurer lawyer Gilbert Massihi; motorsport committee coordinator Imad Lahoud; board members Nabil Karam, Daniel Kassarmalli Haddad, Sheikh Clovis El Khazen and Sheikh Nabil El Khazen; ATCL director-general Vera Antoun; FIA observer Omar Zaarour of Jordan and FIA delegates; national sports committee director Sleiman Khattar; rally office director Gaby Kraiker; clerk of the course lawyer Ziad Jammous; event officials; a big crowd of fans; and members of the media.
Photos: MMS Racing.