Muscat: Oman’s Ahmed al Amri took the top spot with 93 points in the qualifying round followed by Dutch driver Clint van Oort (91.70) and Matskevich Kiryl to reach the last 32 of the Oman International Drift Championship (OIDC) 2025.
Other top contenders including Ahmed Daham of Jordan, Ali Makhseed of Kuwait, Lithuania’s Benediktas Cirba, Nasser al Harbali and Oman’s Tariq al Shaihani also made it to the knockout rounds in the well-contested qualifying action on Thursday at the Oman Automobile Association’s (OAA) Muscat Drift Arena.
Other Omani drivers to make it to the knockout round were Haitham al Hadidi, Riyadh Salim al Mabsali, Hazaa al Hosni, Ali al Balushi and Reefat al Yahyai.
A notable absence in the knockout of first round was former runner-up Sebastian Fontijn of the Netherlands.
As many as 56 drivers from 18 countries compete in the qualifying round.
Recognised as one of the most successful and widely attended drift events in the world, the championship has been a global highlight since its inception in 2018.
Competitions are being held in National (Oman), Middle East and North Africa and International categories.
The drifting scene will shift to Suhar for the second and third rounds.
Suhar will host the second and third rounds on February 13, 14 and February 20 and 21 respectively at Suhar Arena.
The overall winners in different categories of OIDC 2025 will be crowned at Suhar Arena after the third round action.
The event is being run under the chairmanship of Brigadier Jamal bin Said al Tai, managing director Suleiman al Rawahi and race director Fahmi al Busaidy.
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