Saturday 16 / May / 2026
MUSCAT: Oman’s Abdullah Al Rawahi delivered another impressive performance on the FIA Middle East Rally Championship stage by securing second place at the Jordan Rally, as Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah powered to a record-extending 18th victory in the event on Saturday.
Driving the Oman Rally Team Škoda Fabia RS alongside Jordanian co-driver Ata Al Hmoud, Al Rawahi produced a composed and consistent drive across the punishing Dead Sea and Jordan Valley stages to collect crucial championship points and underline his status as one of the region’s leading contenders.
While Al Attiyah dominated the rally by winning all 12 special stages and finishing in 2hr 14min 26.1sec, Al Rawahi stayed firmly in control of second place throughout the event to finish 3min 53.7sec behind the multiple Dakar champion.
The Omani driver battled difficult conditions, high temperatures and slippery terrain, while also overcoming an early tyre strategy setback and a puncture on Saturday’s Rawda stage.
“Jordan is always a tough rally, especially because we are at the lowest point on earth,” said Al Rawahi. “It’s always hot. It’s not 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.”
The runner-up finish was another major boost for Oman in the MERC standings and highlighted the growing consistency of the Oman Rally Team on the regional circuit.
At the front, Al Attiyah and Spanish co-driver Candido Carrera were unstoppable. The Autotek Motorsport Škoda Fabia RS crew repeated the rare feat of winning every stage of the rally, a clean sweep the Qatari last achieved in Jordan in 2016. “Absolutely, it was a good weekend,” said Al Attiyah. “We did the same stages as last year and we were even faster. It means 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.”
Saudi Arabia’s Hamza Bakhashab completed the podium in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 despite suffering double punctures during stage nine.
Oman’s Al Amri excels
There was more success for Oman as the pairing of Zakariya Al Amri and Mohammed Al Mazroui claimed maximum MERC2 points after bringing their Subaru Impreza N14 home in 10th overall.
Al Rawahi and Al Hmoud also dominated the Jordan National Rally Championship category held alongside the regional event, finishing comfortably ahead of local rivals Sheikh Bader Al-Fayez and Bakhashab.
The FIA Middle East Rally Championship resumes in Lebanon from September 11-13, with Al Rawahi expected to continue his push for top honours after another strong showing in Jordan.
