OAA to kick-start season with Oman Rally Round 1

The first round of Oman National Rally Championship 2026, Rally Al Jafnayn, will begin the season’s action for Oman Automobile Association (OAA) on Friday.
The opening round, the Jafnayn Rally, will take competitors through the challenging gravel stages of Jafnayn and Misfah, with the service area based at Al Maha Station.
Eight local drivers have registered for the three-round championship with rally cars and Can-Ams in action across Oman’s diverse landscapes and terrain. The event is sponsored by GWM Oman.
“The National Rally Championship represents an important initiative in our commitment to developing and supporting Omani talent in the field of rallying. Beyond the sporting competition itself, the event provides a valuable platform for emerging Omani drivers and teams to gain experience, develop their skills, and take important steps towards competing at higher levels,” OAA Managing Director Sulaiman al Rawahi told Oman Observer.
“Taking place on September 25, this rally reflects our continued efforts to create meaningful opportunities for local talent and strengthen the foundations of motorsport development in Oman,” Al Rawahi said.
The Oman Rally Championship will feature rounds across different governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, which provide a wide variety of routes well suited to rally competition. This diversity gives each round its own unique character and presents drivers with new challenges. The second round is scheduled for October 23 while the third and final round is set for November 27. Competitors will tackle more than 100 km of competitive stages and road sections in the opening round across the different car categories.
Ladies can also compete for the same overall and category titles, with an additional dedicated award: the Ladies Cup.

TRAINING PLATFORM
The championship forms part of the OAA’s ongoing efforts to develop rallying in the Sultanate of Oman by providing an organised and competitive environment.
It also aims to encourage young talents to enter the world of rallying and build a new generation of drivers capable of representing Oman in regional and international championships.
Events Manager Wadhah al Harthi said: “The local rally has been designed as an important competitive and training platform for Omani rallying talents, providing drivers and teams with the opportunity to gain valuable experience in a professional rally environment. Our focus is on delivering a well-organised and challenging competition that supports the development of local competitors, encourages new talent to enter the sport, and contributes to building a stronger future for rallying in Oman.”
Rally Al Jafnayn is expected to deliver strong competition across its rally stages, marking a new start that reflects the growing presence of motorsport in Oman and the continued focus on developing the local base of rally drivers.
OMAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2026 ROUND 1 ENTRY LIST
(Read as team, driver/co-driver, car, category; Omanis otherwise specified)
1. Al Touqi Team, Salim al Touqi/Issa bin Mohammed al Wardi, Mitsubishi Evo 7, Rally 2
2. X3 Overlanders, Fahad bin Abdulrahim al Balushi/Jaber bin Khalfan al Siyabi, Can-Am X3, T4
3. 83 Racing, Musab bin Khalid al Zadjali/Sultan bin Nasser al Battashi, Mitsubishi Evo 7, Rally 2
4. Al Qasmi Rally Team, Bashar bin Hamid al Qasmi/Bassam bin Hamid al Qasmi, Toyota Yaris, Rally 4
5. Ghaith al Qasmi, Ghaith bin Hamid al Qasmi/TBA, Mitsubishi Evo 8, Rally 2
6. Zakariya al Aamri, Zakariya al Aamri/Taha al Zadjali, Can-Am X3 T4
7. Al Rashdi, Faisal al Rashdi/Yaqdhan al Rashdi, Subaru Impreza STI, Rally 2
8. Mohammed al Mazroui, Mohammed al Mazroui/Bashar al Qasmi, Can-Am X3, T4