Comfortable Lead for Roger Feghali and Nasser Al-Attiyah Out of Competition
Lebanese driver Roger Feghali and his co-driver Joseph Matar in a Volkswagen Polo GTI Rally 2 led the "Coral Rally Lebanon International 45" at the end of day two of the race, organized by the Lebanese Auto and Touring Club over three days, which is the fourth round of the Middle East Championship. Oman's Abdullah Al-Rawahi and his co-driver Atta Al-Hamoud in a Skoda Fabia R5 Rally 2 secured second place, two minutes and 47 seconds behind the leaders, while Alex Feghali (Lebanon) and Mark Haddad (France) in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 came in third, three minutes and five seconds behind.
The race, attended by a large audience of motorsport enthusiasts spread across the special stages, saw a major surprise with the exit of defending champion from last year, Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah and his co-driver Mathieu Bomil from the race after their vehicle, a Volkswagen Polo GTI Rally 2, veered off the course in the fifth special stage, eliminating one of the main contenders for the 2023 title. As a result, Al-Attiyah will not retain the title he had previously won twice in 2019 and 2022.
While the Lebanese hoped to witness fierce competition between several drivers, led by Al-Attiyah and Feghali alongside many distinguished drivers, one of the prominent candidates for the esteemed title of "Icon" of Middle Eastern rallies: the International Lebanon Rally, withdrew from contention.
On Saturday, six special speed stages took place in Jbeil and Batroun. In the second stage (Al-Mensaf), Feghali recorded the fastest time, leading the race followed by Al-Attiyah, then Lebanese driver Basel Bou Hamdan, and Roger Feghali's son. In the third special stage (Ain Ayya), Feghali widened the gap, recording the fastest time followed by Al-Attiyah, then Feghali Jr. In the fourth special stage (Soraya), Feghali (the 15-time rally champion, a record) continued to extend his lead, recording the fastest time with Al-Attiyah in second place followed by Bou Hamdan, keeping Feghali on top with approximately a 20-second lead over Al-Attiyah and a minute and 51 seconds over his son Alex.
The fifth stage (Al-Mensaf) saw the exit of Al-Attiyah and his co-driver from the course when their car overturned after hitting the rear at a junction, and they emerged unscathed. With Al-Attiyah out, the path was clear for Roger Feghali, who soared into the lead, leaving the battle for second place among Abdullah Al-Rawahi, Alex Feghali, and Basel Bou Hamdan. The fifth, sixth, and seventh stages followed the same pattern with "Feghali singing outside the choir" competing with the trio Al-Rawahi, Alex Feghali, and Bou Hamdan for the second position.
The opening stage of the rally, which has a total distance of 634.43 km, including 195.34 km of special speed stages numbering 11 on asphalt, took place at the organizing club in Kaslik before a large audience. Al-Attiyah managed to record the best time of one minute and 59 seconds and six thousandths. Lebanese Roger Feghali recorded the second-best time, three thousandths of a second behind, while Omani Abdullah Al-Rawahi came in third, about four seconds behind the first.
#### Standings
Here are the unofficial overall standings of the top 15 drivers at the end of day two:
1. Roger Feghali (Lebanon) and Joseph Matar (Lebanon) - Volkswagen Polo GTI Rally 2: 1:10:43 hours
2. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (Oman) and Atta Al-Hamoud (Jordan) - Skoda Fabia R5 Rally 2: 1:13:31 hours
3. Alex Feghali (Lebanon) and Mark Haddad (France) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 1:13:49 hours
4. Basel Bou Hamdan (Lebanon) and Firas Elias (Lebanon) - Skoda Fabia Rally 2: 1:14:13 hours
5. Rabih Ayoob (Lebanon) and George Nader (Lebanon) - Skoda Fabia Rally 2: 1:15:54 hours
6. Shadi Faqih (Lebanon) and Samar Safir (Lebanon) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 1:18:24 hours
7. Elias Dahani (Lebanon) and Amin Aql (Lebanon) - Citroen DS3: 1:19:10 hours
8. Raef Al-Muhtar (Lebanon) and Omar Makhour (Lebanon) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 1:19:52 hours
9. David Mazhar (Lebanon) and George Daibes (Lebanon) - Citroen DS3: 1:20:16 hours
10. Tarek Younes (Lebanon) and Salim Jalilati (Lebanon) - Ford Fiesta R5 Rally 2: 1:21:22 hours
11. Charbel Shibli (Lebanon) and Dolin Schlinc (Lebanon) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8: 1:24:06 hours
12. Joseph Salem (Lebanon) and Sami Awad (Lebanon) - Peugeot 208: 1:24:52 hours
13. Nabil Qambaz (Lebanon) and Karim Qambaz (Lebanon) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9: 1:25:22 hours
14. Ahmad Khaled (Lebanon) and Joseph Kmeid (Lebanon) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10: 1:25:53 hours
15. Tony Germanos (Lebanon) and Eli Mahna (Lebanon) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9: 1:27:33 hours
#### Sunday
Competition on Sunday will start with the first car departing at 8:00 AM from the Fouad Chehab Complex in Jounieh, after which participants will head towards Beirut, the River of Death, climbing towards Fanar Ain Saada, descending to Monte Verde, Cartada road, reaching Zandouqa.
- **Eighth Special Speed Stage 17.67 km:** Zandouqa - Bzebdin.
This stage starts in Zandouqa heading toward Al-Qusseiba, the church, Al-Arabaniyah, descending to Al-Dleibah, climbing to Hasbaya, reaching Bzebdin. This road will be closed on Sunday from 7:38 AM to 10:38 AM.
The cars will then proceed to Metin for a refueling point, continuing toward Bolonia, descending to Khanchar, Ain Tuffaha, Bekfaya, then to Hamlaya, Wadi Abu Mizban, reaching Zboqa.
- **Ninth Special Speed Stage 16.59 km:** Zboqa - Kfartieh.
This stage starts from the Zboqa intersection climbing toward Zboqa, Kfar Aqab, Ain Al-Qabu Al-Mashari, Kfar Aqab, Wadi Al-Karam, reaching Kfartieh as the endpoint. This road will be closed on Sunday from 8:56 AM to 11:56 AM.
The cars will then descend toward Kfardebian, passing through the Aashqout roundabout, descending toward Gosta, arriving at the service area in the Fouad Chehab Complex - Jounieh from 11:51 AM. The fifth part of the race will see the first car launch at 12:36 PM from the Fouad Chehab Complex.
Then the competitors will proceed towards Beirut, the River of Death, climbing towards Fanar Ain Saada, descending to Monte Verde and reaching Zandouqa.
- **Tenth Special Speed Stage 17.67 km:** Zandouqa - Bzebdin.
This road will be closed from 11:59 AM to 2:59 PM.
- **Eleventh Special Speed Stage 16.59 km:** Zboqa - Kfartieh.
This road will be closed from 1:17 PM to 4:17 PM, followed by the cars descending to Kfardebian, passing through the Aashqout roundabout, down toward Gosta, arriving at the service area in the Fouad Chehab Complex - Jounieh starting at 4:12 PM.
Finally, the cars will proceed toward Jounieh - Kaslik to enter the Lebanese Auto and Touring Club starting from 5:00 PM, concluding the race with the winners' award ceremony at 5:00 PM.
