Motorsport fans are turning their attention to Lebanon this week as the 48th Lebanon International Rally gets underway, the fourth round of the Middle East Rally Championship. Three Jordanian competitors will take part, aiming for strong results and improved standings in both the overall and class rankings.
اضافة اعلان
The Automobile and Touring Club of Lebanon (ATCL) organizes the event. The route covers a total of 678.29 kilometers, including 11 special speed stages spanning 197.91 kilometers, a course that demands both technical precision and physical endurance from drivers and co-drivers alike.
Twenty-nine drivers and co-drivers are entered, 24 in the international rally and five in the local rally. Competitors represent Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman and Ireland, making this one of the season's most closely watched rounds.
Jordan's contingent includes driver Shaker Jweihan and co-driver Mustafa Jumaa, competing in a Mitsubishi Evo 10; driver Sami Fleifel and co-driver Ibrahim Ali, also in a Mitsubishi Evo 10; and co-driver Mousa Jahriyan, who is paired with Lebanese driver Jad al-Awar in a third Mitsubishi Evo 10.
Jweihan enters the round fifth in the Middle East Championship's overall drivers' standings with 41 points and will look to convert his run in Lebanon into a result that pushes him toward the top positions. Jumaa holds fifth place in the co-drivers' standings, also with 41 points. Fleifel sits 14th in the drivers' standings with 15 points, while his co-driver Ali is 13th among co-drivers with 15 points; both are hoping to climb the table with a strong showing in Lebanon.
In the class standings, Jweihan currently leads the Middle East Championship's "Merc 2" drivers' category with 60 points, built on results from earlier rounds that have kept him in a strong position to contest the class title. Jumaa tops the "Merc 2" co-drivers' category with the same point total, confirming his consistency this season, while fellow Jordanian Ali sits fourth in those co-drivers' category with 21 points. Fleifel holds fourth place in the combined "Merc 2" and "Master" drivers' category with 15 points, maintaining his position among the class's front-runners. Jahriyan, meanwhile, is looking to add to his championship points total alongside al-Awar.
The entry list also includes several of the sport's most recognized names: Lebanese rally champion Roger Feghali, Saudi driver Hamza Bakhashab, and Qatari driver Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah, among a broader field drawn from all six participating countries, underscoring the strength of competition expected in this round.
The rally begins the day after tomorrow with technical inspection of the cars in Hazmieh, followed that evening by the official start ceremony outside the Jounieh municipal building. On Friday, a qualifying stage will be held in Arsoun alongside races at ATCL's headquarters in Kaslik and a classic car competition, ahead of the first ceremonial stage that formally opens racing on the route. The rally's special stages continue through Sunday, when competition concludes with an awards ceremony at ATCL's Kaslik headquarters, where winners across all categories will be honored.
Separately, driver Mustafa Attari finished third overall and won his class in the second round of the Saudi Toyota Time Attack Championship, held at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Source: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Ayman Wajih al-Khatib
