DEAD SEA, Jordan: Oman’s Abdullah al Rawahi and local driver Ata al Hmoud were the shock leaders of the Jordan Rally after a dramatic day’s action across world-class special stages that wound their way through the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley areas at the lowest place on earth on Friday.
The Skoda Fabia Evo crew looked to be heading for second place until runaway leaders, Nasser Saleh al Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel, suffered a broken right-hand front driveshaft on the start line of the second pass through the gruelling Jordan River stage, dropped 2min 39sec and finished the loop of three stages in two-wheel drive. The Qatari now trails by a daunting 2min 33.4sec at the night halt and will be hard-pushed to make up the deficit on the final day.
Al Rawahi said: “We started not as we expected. We wanted to be closer to Nasser on the first loop. Unfortunately, we lost a lot on the second stage. Then he had a fault with his car and we managed to take the lead. It’s a good lead for tomorrow. We will go in now with a different strategy to try and keep that lead. Nothing is impossible. These stages are some of my favourite and tomorrow’s stages are quite familiar as well. Let’s see how it goes...”
Al Attiyah added: “Day one, we started three stages very smooth and we are leading and then we had an issue with a driveshaft for three stages. We have been quiet to manage to finish all the stages. I am happy to start again tomorrow. It will be another target and we try to push. The race will be interesting. We need to be flat out. It is always nice to win Jordan!”
Kuwait’s Meshari al Thefiri teamed up with Qatar’s Nasser al Kuwari and was embroiled in an enthralling duel with the Lebanese crew of Roger Feghali and Joseph Matar for the first four stages.
Feghali led until stage three and then Al Thefiri hit the front. Despite trimming the lead in SS4, the Lebanese then suffered an alternator belt failure on his Mitsubishi in the fifth speed test and Al Thefiri was able to coast through to finish the day in third overall and first in Merc2.
Al Thefiri said: “I am happy for this result. We work hard. We take more experience and the set-up for the car is ready before the rally. I will drive the same and hold position. I am comfortable now. This rally is very tough.”
The leading Jordanian driver Shaker Jweihan and his Omani co-driver Taha al Zadjali are fourth, 1min 54.1sec adrift of the defending Merc2 champion. Jweihan added: “It was a tough day. Jordan River was the stage of the day. I am driving on a normal gearbox. I was trying to be in the mix and trying to be up there if anything happened - and it happened with Roger. I know the stages tomorrow and they are tricky with a lot of crests. Hopefully, we will keep the pressure on.”
Sheikh Bader al Fayez and Emad Juma are classified fifth in their Mitsubishi and Shadi Shaban and Samer Issa round off the top six.
Support for this year’s event comes from Zain Jordan, Hala and Bliss FM.
A dramatic afternoon’s action concluded with a single pass through the 3.48km Dead Sea stage. Al Attiyah dropped another 23.5 seconds to Al-Rawahi and finished the leg trailing by a daunting 2min 33.4sec with six stages to run on Saturday. Feghali was unable to make the start of the sixth stage after his alternator belt failure and withdrew from the event later in the afternoon.
Leg two will be fought out over two loops of three special stages, starting with the 12.58km of Bahath from 10.24hrs. Runs through Suwayma (11.08km) and Ma’in (17.00km) follow from 10.57hrs and 11.54hrs before a lunchtime return to the Dead Sea service park for a regroup and service.
The three specials will be repeated at 13.55hrs, 14.28hrs and 15.25hrs before the ceremonial finish in the spectacular location on the shores of the Dead Sea at the Dead Sea Marriott Resort and Spa.
2023 Jordan Rally – positions after SS7:
1. Abdullah al Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Skoda Fabia Evo 1hr 25min 49.2sec
2. Nasser Saleh al Attiyah (QAT)/Mathieu Baumel (AND) Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 1hr 28min 22.6sec
3. Meshari al Thefiri (KWT)/Nasser al Kuwari (QAT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 30min 15.6sec
4. Shaker Jweihan (JOR)/Taha al Zadjali (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 32min 09.7sec
5. Sheikh Bader al Fayez (JOR)/Emad Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 36min 48.6sec
6. Shadi Shaban (JOR)/Samer Issa (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 1hr 37min 00.2sec
7. Zakariya al Aamri (OMN)/Mohammed al Mazroui (OMN) Subaru Impreza 1hr 38min 56.4sec
8. Ahmad Khaled (LEB)/Joseph Kmeid (LEB) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 1hr 40min 00.6sec
9. Mustafa al Atari (JOR)/Zeid Abu Zaid (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 40min 42.8sec
10. Ihab al Shorafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 1hr 54min 02.9sec
11. Salem al Dhafeeri (KWT)/Fares Al-Thefiri (KWT) Subaru Impreza 1hr 59min 05.1sec
2023 Jordan National Rally – positions after SS7:
1. Abdullah al Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Skoda Fabia Evo 1hr 25min 49.2sec
2. Shaker Jweihan (JOR)/Taha al Zadjali (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 32min 09.7sec
3. Sheikh Bader al Fayez (JOR)/Emad Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 36min 48.6sec
4. Shadi Shaban (JOR)/Samer Issa (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 1hr 37min 00.2sec
5. Mustafa al Atari (JOR)/Zeid Abu Zaid (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 40min 42.8sec
6. Nancy al Majali (JOR)/Nadia Shnoudeh (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 1hr 45min 45.7sec
7. Ghaith Qubti (JOR)/Tarek al Assad (JOR) Range Rover Classic 1hr 52min 54.4sec
8. Ihab al Shorafa (JOR)/Yousef Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 1hr 54min 02.9sec
9. Asem Aref (JOR)/Ahmad Jankhout (JOR) Subaru Impreza 2hr 04min 11.2sec
10. Ziad Miqdad (JOR)/Amer Mousa (JOR) Renault Clio 2hr 16min 29.8sec
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