JEZZINE, LEBANON – Roger Feghali (Volkswagen Polo) added another title to a career packed with local and international wins by taking the 10th Jezzine Rally, organised by the Automobile and Touring Club of Lebanon (ATCL) in the Jezzine district on Sunday, sponsored by OMT. 21 cars started and 17 reached the finish.
Tamer Ghandour and co-driver Salim Jleilaty (Skoda Fabia) finished second, with Oman’s Abdullah Al Rawahi and Jordanian co-driver Ata Al Hamoud (Skoda Fabia) third.
The rally, round two of the 2022 Lebanese Rally Championship after the Spring Rally, covered 215.22km including seven special stages totalling 85.83km. It was held in hot summer weather in front of large crowds of motorsport fans spread across the stages.
Lights-to-flag for Feghali
From the start, Feghali and co-driver Fouad Feghali – sitting in the hot seat alongside Roger for the first time – took control and held the lead from the first stage to the seventh and final super special, leaving the others to fight for the remaining places.
After the first two stages, Roger led from Hamed Al-Wahaibi and Ghandour. On the third stage, with Roger still in front, Ghandour moved up to second and Al Rawahi to third, and the three stayed in that order to the finish. Oman’s Al-Wahaibi, a former Group N world champion, suffered several mechanical problems that kept him off the podium.
Alex Feghali won Group N and Elias Dehni the front-wheel-drive class, which he also won at the Spring Rally.
Official results (17 finishers)
- Roger Feghali / Fouad Feghali – Volkswagen Polo: 46:06
- Tamer Ghandour / Salim Jleilaty – Skoda Fabia: 47:41
- Abdullah Al Rawahi (Oman) / Ata Al Hamoud (Jordan) – Skoda Fabia: 48:24
- Alex Feghali / Joseph Matar – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 49:01
- Bassel Abu Hamdan / Firas Elias – Skoda Fabia: 49:24
- Hamed Al-Wahaibi (Oman) / Tony Sircombe (New Zealand) – Skoda Fabia: 49:25
- Joseph Hindi / Vicken Kanledjian – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 50:03
- Rabih Ayoub / Georges Nader – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 50:37
- Rodrigue Rahi / George Chehwan – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 50:39
- Carl Rizk / Karim Abou Elias – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8: 50:44
- Elias Dehni / Amine Akl – Citroën DS3: 51:06
- David Mezher / Chady Nasr – Citroën DS3: 53:51
- Albert Hayek / Louay Sakr – Renault Clio RS: 56:58
- Chadi Fakieh / Samer Sfeir – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9: 56:59
- Walid Schlink / Andre Achkouty – Renault Clio RS: 58:07
- Mohammad Tajeddine / Rudy Eid – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9: 1:04:26
- Jean Bassil / Rony Abou Elias – Renault Clio RS: 1:05:07
Class winners
- RC2 R4 and homologation cup: Joseph Hindi / Vicken Kanledjian
- Group N: Alex Feghali / Joseph Matar
- Front-wheel drive: Elias Dehni / Amine Akl
- Young driver cup: Carl Rizk
- Young co-driver cup: Karim Abou Elias
- RC5: Jean Bassil / Rony Abou Elias
Podium ceremony
The podium ceremony was attended by former MP Amal Abou Zeid; Khalil Harfouche, head of the Union of Jezzine District Municipalities and mayor of Jezzine; Imad Lahoud, ATCL board member and motorsport committee coordinator; rally office director Gaby Kraiker; clerk of the course Nicolas Hindi; event officials and a large crowd, in a festive atmosphere. Lahoud presented Abou Zeid and Harfouche with commemorative shields on behalf of the organising club.
Photos: MMS Racing.