JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – The all-new Rally Saudi Arabia marks the Kingdom’s return to the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) after a 15-year absence this weekend. The 12-stage event, based at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, is round three of this year’s regional series.
Hosted by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) with the Saudi Motorsport Company, it runs under FIA supervision and the chairmanship of HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan Abdulla Al-Faisal. Rally Saudi Arabia powered by Jameel Motorsports begins with a ceremonial start on the ROSHN Waterfront on Thursday evening.
Al-Attiyah chases title number 20
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, chasing a record 20th regional title since 2003, tops a 28-car entry with nine Rally2 cars, six SSVs and 21 crews registered for MERC points. They face six new gravel stages run twice, parts of which are expected to feature on the inaugural WRC event later in the year.
This year’s MERC runs over six rounds in Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon and Cyprus. Since 1984 its champions include current FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem (14 titles), Al-Attiyah (19), Saudi pair Mamdouh Khayat (1992) and Abdullah Bakhashab (1995), and the UAE’s Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi (1994).
Al-Attiyah arrives with a 22-point lead after back-to-back wins in Oman and Qatar with Candido Carrera in his Autotek Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, chasing an 89th MERC win and his first in Saudi Arabia.
Hänninen and Al-Rashed
Home driver Rakan Al-Rashed is Al-Attiyah’s closest challenger. Finland’s Juho Hänninen and Janni Hussi join the regulars in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 entered by Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT; Hänninen is not registered for MERC points but is collecting data ahead of the inaugural WRC event. Oman’s Abdullah Al-Rawahi teams up with Britain’s Ross Whittock, his co-driver on two FIA Junior WRC rounds in Sweden and Sardinia last year.
Our plan is to push and try and secure the win. It won’t be easy with the challenge from Nasser (Al-Attiyah) and other good drivers in the line-up. We will do our best and hopefully come out with a good result.
Abdullah Al-Rawahi
More Rally2 competition comes from defending champion Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (Citroën C3), Master MERC leader Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (Ford) and Jordan’s Sheikh Bader Al-Fayez (Škoda). Oman’s Zakariya Al-Aamri leads MERC2 from compatriot Abdullah Al-Zubair and Jordan’s defending champion Shaker Jweihan. Qatar fields three Peugeot 208 Rally4s, with academy drivers Mohammed Al-Marri, partnered by multiple MERC-winning navigator Giovanni Bernacchini, and Saad Al-Harqan against MERC4 leader Rashid Al-Muhannadi. Six Saudi drivers, including Ibrahim Al-Muhanna, Hamad Al-Harbi, Hamza Bakhashab and Ahmed Al-Shegawi, are entered in Can-Ams in the SSV category.
Lebanese crews
Lebanon is represented by Bassel Abu Hamdan / Firas Elias (Škoda Fabia Rally2), Shadi El Fakih / Joseph Kmeid (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X), and Joanna Hassoun / Dolyne Chlink (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, national entry), while Ziad Chehab partners Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya.
The route
After a 2.77km shakedown from 10:31 on Thursday, crews face 189.48 competitive kilometres in an 839.29km route. Friday’s stages east of Jeddah feature two passes through Buraiman (14.02km), Wadi Al-Matwi (12.94km) and Um Al-Jerem (21.07km). Saturday heads north for two runs through Al-Ghulal (11.70km), Asfan (26.55km) and Thahban (8.46km), with the second Thahban pass the Power Stage. Points are also awarded for finishing each day.
Saudi Arabia first hosted a MERC candidate event in 2008 in Al-Khobar, won by Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Mathieu Baumel in a Subaru Impreza. The pair also won the only previous Saudi MERC round in 2010 in a Peugeot 207 S2000.
I’m immensely proud that the FIA Middle East Rally Championship is visiting Jeddah for the first time. The event has the exceptional support of H.R.H. Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision. I wish the best of luck to the competitors and organisers of Rally Saudi Arabia.
Yazeed Al-Rajhi