Nasser Al Attiyah Wins Jordan International Rally for Record 18th Time
Amman, May 16 (QNA) – Qatari driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah claimed victory on Friday in the 43rd Jordan International Rally, the third round of the 2026 Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), held in the Dead Sea region.
Al Attiyah dominated the rally from start to finish, winning all 12 special stages across the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley areas to repeat the clean sweep he last achieved in 2016.
The victory marked Al Attiyah’s second consecutive Jordan International Rally title and his record-extending 18th triumph in the event from 23 career appearances.
It was also the 92nd MERC victory of Al Attiyah’s career as the Qatari star targets a record 21st Middle East Rally Championship title since first winning the championship in 2003, further cementing his status as the most successful driver in the history of the series.
Driving a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 alongside Spanish co-driver Candido Carrera, Al Attiyah completed the rally in a total time of 2:14:26.1 hours, finishing 3 minutes and 53.7 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger, Oman’s Abdullah Al Rawahi and Jordanian co-driver Ata Al Hmoud, who drove a Škoda Fabia R5 and finished in 2:18:19.8 hours.
Saudi driver Hamza Bakhashab, accompanied by Irish co-driver Lorcan Moore in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, secured third place with a time of 2:27:01.0 hours.
Jordan’s Sheikh Bader Al Fayez and Lebanese co-driver Joseph Matar, driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, finished fourth in 2:34:25.2 hours, while Saudi Arabia’s Basel Abu Hamdan and Lebanese co-driver Firas Elias rounded out the top five aboard a Volkswagen Polo Rally2 with a total time of 2:35:18.3 hours.
The rally also featured strong Qatari participation across several categories. Qatari driver Nasser Khalifa Al Attiyah and Lebanese co-driver Ziad Shaaban overcame brake issues on the opening day before delivering an impressive performance in the final stages aboard a Ford Fiesta Rally2, ultimately finishing eighth overall and remaining in contention for the Masters Championship lead.
In the Rally4 category, Qatari duo Mohammed Al Marri and Rashid Al Mohannadi competed in Peugeot 208 cars under the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation banner. However, mechanical and technical problems prevented both crews from completing the rally despite competitive performances during the early stages.
The Middle East Rally Championship is scheduled to resume with its fourth round in Lebanon from September 11 to 13. (QNA)
