RELENTLESS AL-ATTIYAH STORMS TO 18TH JORDAN RALLY VICTORY WITH CLEAN SWEEP

QATARI STAR DOMINATES DEAD SEA EVENT WITH 12 FROM 12 STAGE WINS TO EXTEND MERC LEGACY

• Nasser Al-Attiyah claims record 18th Jordan Rally victory

• Perfect weekend with a clean sweep of all 12 special stages

• Championship lead changes hands after dominant performance

• Podium completed by Al-Rawahi and Bakhashab amid attrition and punctures

DEAD SEA, JORDAN – Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah delivered a commanding and faultless performance at the Jordan Rally, taking a record-extending 18th victory after winning every single one of the event’s 12 special stages on his way to another dominant round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC).

Co-driven by Candido Carrera in the Autotek Motorsport Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, the Qatari legend controlled the event from start to finish, ultimately winning by 3min 53.7sec and moving into a narrow championship lead.

It marked a repeat of his rare 100 per cent stage win performance last achieved in 2016, when he also dominated the Jordan event with near-total control.

PERFECT CONTROL FROM START TO FINISH

Al-Attiyah’s pace was immediate and unrelenting across the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley stages, where he repeatedly reset the benchmark times and never allowed his rivals a foothold in the rally.

The reigning MERC benchmark driver also broke his own Suwayma stage record on Saturday morning, improving by three seconds in a further demonstration of his pace advantage.

“Absolutely, it was a good weekend. I was really surprised. We did the same stages as last year and we were even faster. It means that our set-up is really good. We worked very hard this weekend to get the maximum points. It’s nice to win all 12 stages. There was pressure there but we need to enjoy this victory.”

The result further strengthens Al-Attiyah’s already historic MERC record, taking him to 92 career championship rally wins, while co-driver Candido Carrera notched his seventh MERC victory in just his second season alongside the Qatari driver.

BEHIND THE LEADER: CONSISTENCY PAYS FOR AL-RAWAAHI

Oman’s Abdullah Al-Rawahi, co-driven by Ata Al-Hmoud, secured second place in their Oman Rally Team Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 after a controlled and consistent run behind the dominant leader.

A tyre strategy miscalculation on Friday and a puncture on Saturday briefly disrupted their rhythm, but otherwise the crew remained unchallenged in the runner-up position.

“Jordan is always a tough rally, especially because we are at the lowest point on earth. It’s always hot. It’s not always easy with long stages and a lot of corners when it is very slippery. We tried to push but I gained a lot of experience from this rally so we can come back and do better next time.”

BAKHASHAB SECURES PODIUM AFTER DRAMA-FILLED RUN

Saudi Arabia’s Hamza Bakhashab, co-driven by Lorcan Moore in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, completed the podium despite a dramatic rally that included a five-minute loss following a double puncture on SS9.

The Jameel Motorsport-supported driver recovered strongly to maintain his championship challenge and secure third place after a demanding final day.

“I am so happy for this result. It has been a nice and very enjoyable rally. There were a lot of ups and downs and the last stage was very difficult.”

FINAL-STAGE DRAMA DECIDES MIDFIELD BATTLE

Behind the podium, the fight for fourth was decided only on the Power Stage, where Saudi driver Bassel Abu Hamdan lost valuable time after front-left suspension damage in his Volkswagen Polo.

That opened the door for the Škoda pairing of Sheikh Bader Al-Fayez and Joseph Matar, who snatched fourth place by just 3.1 seconds.

Further down the order, MERC2 drama unfolded when Shaker Jweihan retired from a strong class-leading position after turbo failure and oil pressure loss ended his challenge on SS8.

ATTRITION SHAPES FINAL CLASSIFICATION

Reliability proved decisive throughout the field, with multiple crews falling out of contention across the demanding Jordan stages.

• Shadi Shaban and Samer Issa climbed to sixth after steady progress

• Mohammed Al-Shorafa and Samer Sfeir secured seventh in their Mitsubishi

• Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya recovered from brake issues to finish eighth

• Palestine’s Hamadeh Uda dropped late time but still topped NR4

• Zakariya Al-Aamri and Mohammed Al-Mazroui completed the top 10 and scored maximum MERC2 points

Rally4 contenders also suffered heavily, with multiple Peugeot 208 entries sidelined after mechanical failures during the decisive Rawda stage.

NEXT STOP: LEBANON

The FIA Middle East Rally Championship resumes in Lebanon on 11–13 September, where the fight for the title will continue after Al-Attiyah’s commanding statement of intent in Jordan.