World champion Nasser Al-Attiyah from Qatar experienced a car fire during the Cyprus International Rally on Saturday, causing him to withdraw from the fourth round of the Middle East Rally Championship. According to media reports, Al-Attiyah was in third place behind drivers Simos Galatariotis and Alexandros Tsoulouftas at the end of the fifth stage when his "Volkswagen Polo GTI" deviated from the course and caught fire. He managed to escape unharmed along with his co-driver, Frenchman Matthieu Baumel, just in time.
Following the incident, the stage was halted to ensure the safety of participants and to extinguish the fire, leading competitors to take alternative routes back to the service park instead of following the same course. Al-Attiyah holds first place in the Middle East Championship with 120 points, ahead of Kuwaiti Mishari Althufairi, who has 74 points. He was aiming for his eighth win in the Cyprus Rally and to secure the title for the 17th time in his career.
