Omani driver Abdullah bin Suleiman Al-Rawahi is heading to the Cyprus Rally, the final round of the 2023 Middle East Rally Championship, leading the temporary overall standings with 84 points, just 6 points ahead of the 18-time Middle East rally champion, Qatari driver Nasser bin Saleh Al-Attiyah. Abdullah has the opportunity to clinch the title for the first time in his career, marking the first win for an Omani driver and ending the Qatari dominance in the title since 2011, where it has typically been decided early in most seasons.
Abdullah and his Jordanian co-driver Ata Hamoud have been preparing for the final round in their Škoda "Fabia Rally 2 Evo," focusing on physical and mental training, note-taking, and most importantly, maintaining high morale to secure the title in his favor, especially given Nasser's vast experience and resources. The young Omani driver understands that competing against Nasser will be challenging, and he is aware that Nasser will not give up easily and will do everything possible to retain his title.
This marks the first time since the 2014 season that the competition for the Middle East Rally Championship title is being decided to the last breath, when the title was settled in a controversial manner in the final round, the Dubai International Rally. The initial winner was Emirati driver Sheikh Khalid bin Faisal Al Qassimi, but there were objections to the results based on a route violation in one of the stages, leading to a time penalty that cost him both the rally win and the championship title, which went to Nasser.
It is not the first time we have reached a point where the identity of the winner between two drivers remains undecided until the final round. The 2010 season's title was left undecided until the final round between Qatari drivers Misfer Al-Marri (may he rest in peace) and Nasser Al-Attiyah, with Misfer eventually winning the title. The 1993 season ended in a tie on points between Qatari drivers Sheikh Hamad bin Eid Al Thani (may he rest in peace) and Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Attiyah, who also tied in the number of wins, resulting in the title going to the driver who won the longest rally, which at that time was the Jordan International Rally, won by Sheikh Hamad.
The regulations of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) state that in the event of a tie on points between two or more drivers at the end of the season, the title goes to the driver who achieved the most wins. If the drivers are tied on wins, the title goes to the one with more second-place finishes, and so on. If the ties continue, the tie-breaker is the driver who achieved the fastest times in the most special stages.
Ata, Abdullah's co-driver, emphasized the difficulty of the task, noting the competitiveness against a driver of Nasser's caliber, but praised the substantial progress Abdullah has made in his championship participation in terms of gaining experience both from his own mistakes and from other drivers, along with confidence, self-control, and handling pressure and driving techniques. This season is crucial for co-driver Ata, who aims to win the co-drivers' title and thus break the foreign co-drivers' monopoly in the championship for a long time.
Abdullah started the season at the first round, the Oman International Rally, held last January, where he had an excellent start by winning his home rally. He then participated in the second round, the Qatar International Rally, held the following month, which presented difficulties with Nasser racing on home ground alongside several international drivers. Abdullah saw it as an opportunity to assess his true level, gain experience, and competitiveness, but unfortunately had to withdraw after his car suffered a puncture; continuing the stage caused further damage to the vehicle. This was a lesson learned the hard way, particularly as Nasser won the rally in his Volkswagen "Polo GTI - R5."
Abdullah regained his form at the Jordan International Rally, held last May, where he handled the pressure exerted by Nasser throughout the stages, driving disciplined without succumbing to recklessness, ultimately winning the rally and showing strong competitiveness, particularly on the second day. Abdullah participated in the fourth round, the Lebanon International Rally, held this September, which was a different experience on all fronts, as the rally took place on winding mountain asphalt roads surrounded by forests and dotted with villages. Lebanese driver Roger Feghali won the title, with Abdullah finishing in second place, continuing to improve his times and skills throughout the rally stages, while Nasser had to withdraw from this rally.
This is Abdullah Al-Rawahi's fifth season participating in the Middle East Rally Championship. Oman has achieved five victories in the championship, four of which were by Abdullah, and one by Nizar Al-Shanfari. The Kuwait International Rally was scheduled for next November but was announced to be canceled by the organizers, making the fifth round, the Cyprus International Rally, the last decisive event of the 2023 season, set to take place from October 6 to 8. This will heighten the competitive stakes, as further factors could come into play, particularly from registered drivers aiming to collect championship points, even if they are not title contenders or did not participate in earlier rounds. The Cyprus Rally is characterized by its rough and winding mountain dirt roads, requiring high driving skills, extreme focus, and precision in pace notes.
**Temporary Standings**
Here are the temporary overall standings of the Middle East Rally Championship (after the fourth round - Lebanon International Rally):
*Driver's Championship:
1- Abdullah Al-Rawahi (Oman) - 84 points
2- Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar) - 78 points
3- Mishari Al-Dhafiri (Kuwait) - 60 points
4- Ahmad Khalid (Lebanon) - 37 points
5- Yusuf Al-Dhafiri (Kuwait) - 37 points
6- Shaker Jweihan (Jordan) - 36 points
7- Shadi Shaaban (Jordan) - 35 points
8- Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Attiyah (Qatar) - 34 points
9- Roger Feghali (Lebanon) - 30 points
10- Mads Østberg (Norway) - 24 points
11- Basel Abu Hamdan (Lebanon) - 21 points
12- Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) - 21 points
13- Ehab Al-Shurfa (Jordan) - 20 points
14- Elias Al-Dahni (Lebanon) - 19 points
15- Emil Lindholm (Finland) - 19 points
16- Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (Qatar) - 17 points
17- Shadi Al-Faqih (Lebanon) - 17 points
18- Karl Rizq (Lebanon) - 15 points
19- Mustafa Al-Attari (Jordan) - 13 points
20- Badr Al-Faiz (Jordan) - 13 points
21- Sami Fleifel (Jordan) - 9 points
22- Joana Hassoun (Lebanon) - 9 points
23- Abdullah Al-Zubair (Oman) - 7 points
24- Albert Hayek (Lebanon) - 7 points
25- Jason Wihba (Lebanon) - 4 points
*Co-Driver's Championship:
1- Ata Hamoud (Jordan) - 84 points
2- Matteo Pommel (Andorra) - 78 points
3- Nasser bin Saadon Al-Kuwari (Qatar) - 60 points
4- Carlos Hanna (Lebanon) - 37 points
5- Samer Eissa (Jordan) -
