MUSCAT, OMAN – The three most recent FIA Middle East rally champions, Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Abdullah Al-Rawahi, head a 23-car entry for the opening round of the 2025 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) in Oman on 23–25 January.
The revised Oman International Rally is organised by the Oman Automobile Association (OAA) and based at the Sohar Entertainment Centre from 19 January. It has drawn competitors from nine nations: seven Rally2 crews, nine Rally3 and Rally5 machines, two Can-Ams in T4 and five Oman National Championship crews running at the tail of the field.
Boulanger joins Al-Attiyah
Qatar’s Al-Attiyah is chasing a record eighth win in Oman and teams up with his regular French W2RC co-driver Edouard Boulanger for the first time in the MERC. Switzerland-based Boulanger started as an enduro rider before moving to the navigator’s seat alongside the likes of Peter Jerie, Khalid Al-Qassimi, Dakar legend Stéphane Peterhansel and now Al-Attiyah. The pair are currently chasing glory on the 47th Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia with the official Dacia team.
Two-time event winner Al-Rawahi again teams up with Jordan’s Ata Al-Hmoud, while defending MERC champion Al-Kuwari calls on Irishman Lorcan Moore.
Saudi drivers return
With Saudi Arabia set to rejoin the regional series in May after a 15-year absence, there are Saudi entries from rallycross and WRC regular Rakan Al-Rashed (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2), Hamza Bakhashab (son of 1995 MERC winner Abdullah Bakhashab) and Ibrahim Al-Muhanna.
In the absence of last year’s FIA MERC2 winner Shaker Jweihan, Jordan’s Shadi Shaban leads the Subaru and Mitsubishi contenders, including local drivers Abdullah Al-Zubair and Zakariya Al-Aamri, Lebanon’s Ahmad Khaled, Jordan’s Issa Abu Jamous and India’s Mohamed Mansoor Parol. Lebanon’s Shadi El Fakih returns to defend his FIA MERC5 crown in his Renault Clio, and Saudi driver Yosra Jazzar joins Al-Muhanna in a pair of T4 Can-Ams.
Crews face 13 special stages and 232.39 competitive kilometres in a route of 636.41km. The event is run under the chairmanship of Brigadier Jamal Said Al-Tai, with organising panel member Suleiman Al-Rawahi and rally director Anwar Al-Zadjali.
Entry list
- Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT) / Lorcan Moore (IRL) – Citroën C3 Rally2
- Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Edouard Boulanger (FRA) – Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
- Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN) / Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) – Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
- Rashid Al-Muhannadi (QAT) / Gary McElhinney (IRL) – Peugeot 208
- Rakan Al-Rashed (SAU) / Hugo Magalhães (PRT) – Toyota GR Yaris Rally2
- Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT) / Ziad Chehab (LBN) – Ford Fiesta Mk II Rally2
- Payyaakkal Panikkaveettil (IND) / Musa Sherif (IND) – Ford Fiesta Rally2
- Shadi Shaban (JOR) / Samer Issa (JOR) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
- Ihab Al-Shurafa (JOR) / Ahmad Jankout (JOR) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
- Issa Abu Jamous (JOR) / Saqer Abu Jamous (JOR) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
- Abdullah Al-Zubair (OMN) / Taha Al-Zadjali (OMN) – Subaru Impreza
- Ahmad Khaled (LBN) / Samer Sfeir (LBN) – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
- (No. 13 not used)
- Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMN) / Mohammed Al-Mazroui (OMN) – Subaru Impreza
- Mohamed Mansoor Parol (IND) / Joseph Lenin (IND) – Subaru Impreza
- Shadi El Fakih (LBN) / Joseph Kmeid (LBN) – Renault Clio
- Ibrahim Al-Muhanna (SAU) / Faisal Al-Suwayh (SAU) – Can-Am Maverick X3 (T4)
- Yosra Jazzar (SAU) / TBA – Can-Am Maverick X3 (T4)
- Hamza Bakhashab (SAU) / TBA – TBA
Oman Rally Championship entries: Zakariya Al-Ofi / Ammar Al-Balushi (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX), Haitham Al-Zadjali / TBA (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII), Bashar Al-Qassmi / Bassam Al-Qassmi (Toyota Yaris), Salim Al-Tauqi / Issa Al-Wardi (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII), Mus’ab Al-Zadjali / Nasr Al-Qassmi (Kia Rio).