JEDDAH,SAUDI ARABIA: Abdullah al Rawahi overcame a series of flat tyres to finish fifth overall in the inaugural Jeddah-based Rally Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The Omani teamed up with British co-driver Ross Whittock and tackled two days of demanding action across new special stages to the east and north of the Red Sea city.
The Oman Rally Team driver’s progress in his Autotek Škoda Fabia RS was hampered by a series of flat tyres on Friday and more time lost on the penultimate stage on Saturday. But he was regularly third quickest on individual gravel stages behind eventual winner Nasser
Saleh al Attiyah and Finnish runner-up Juho Hänninen. The points haul keeps him in contention for the Drivers’ Championship as the 2025 FIA Middle East Rally Championship reached its halfway point. Al Rawahi said: “It has been a disappointing rally for us. A lot of punctures. We are not sure why because we are not hitting rocks sideways. I don’t know if it is luck or something to do with the tyres. We have a different compound tyre to Nasser but this is all we have. Today’s stages were a bit more open but everyone was cutting.” The second day of Rally Saudi Arabia used three special stages to the north of Jeddah that were repeated twice. Al Rawahi began the day in fifth overall and consolidated that position after the opening Al Ghulah stage. He set the fourth fastest time on the first pass through Asfan and closed in on fourth-placed Abdulaziz al Kuwari, who sustained a puncture.
The Omani was third quickest through the Thahban special and headed back to the service point in Jeddah well clear of sixth-placed Hamza Bakhashab and still within striking distance of Al Kuwari in fourth.
He was third quickest again on the re-run of the Al Ghulah stage but further tyre woes cost him vital time in the penultimate stage. But Al Rawahi finished the event on a high note with the second quickest time on the concluding Power Stage to secure additional points towards his regional championship campaign. The Oman Rally Team has received vital backing from Al Manar Investments, the Oman Automobile Association, WMS, Zamakan, OQ, Strike, Size, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY) and National Finance.
Round four of the 2025 FIA Middle East Rally Championship takes place in Jordan on May 29—31.
2025 Rally Saudi Arabia — positions after SS12:
1. Nasser Saleh al Attiyah (QAT)/Candido Carrera (ESP) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 1hr 34min 05.5sec
2. Juho Hänninen (FIN)/Janni Hussi (FIN) Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2 1hr 35min 42.9sec*
3. Rakan al Rashed (KSA)/Hugo Magalhães (POR) Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2 1hr 39min 08.9sec
4. Abdulaziz al Kuwari (QAT)/Lorcan Moore (IRL) Citroën C3 Rally 2 1hr 40min 06.4sec
5. Abdullah al Rawahi (OMA)/Ross Whittock (GBR) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 1hr 43min 11.8sec
6. Hamza Bakhashab (KSA)/Marcin Pasek (POL) Can-Am Maverick R (SSV) 1hr 47min 11.7sec
7. Nasser Khalifa al Attiyah (QAT)/Ziad Chehab (LBN) Ford Fiesta Mk II Rally 2 1hr 49min 56.9sec
8. Abdullah al Zubair (OMA)/Taha al Zadjali (OMA) Subaru Impreza WRX Sti 1hr 55min 18.9sec
9. Bassel Abu Hamdan (KSA)/Firas Elias (LBN) Škoda Fabia Rally 2 2hr 00min 43.5sec
10. Rashid al Muhannadi (QAT)/Szymon Gospodarczyk (POL) Peugeot 208 Rally 4 2hr 02min 18.0sec
11. Shadi El Fakih (LBN)/Joseph Kmeid (LBN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 02min 43.6sec
12. Ihab al Shurafa (JOR)/Ahmad Jankhout (JOR) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 2hr 02min 54.5sec
13. Zakariya al Aamri (OMA)/Mohammed al Mazroui (OMA) Subaru Impreza WRX Sti 2hr 07min 11.5sec
14. Shadi Shaban (JOR)/Samer Issa (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX (NAT) 2hr 11min 38.7sec
15. Mohammed al Marri (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Peugeot 208 Rally 4 2hr 48min 27.0sec
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