Iconic Al-Maha Island to host start and finish of Qatar International Rally

 




 Oman’s Abdullah Al-Rawahi arrives in Qatar with six-point MERC

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LUSAIL (Qatar): Al Maha Island will host the start and finish ceremonies of this

weekend’s Qatar International Rally, round two of the 2023 FIA Middle East Rally

Championship (MERC).

Al Maha Island Lusail is Qatar’s ultimate entertainment and culinary destination,

featuring Lusail Winter Wonderland, Nammos Beach Club and award-winning

restaurants.

Located across Lusail Marina Promenade, Al Maha Island is easily accessible from the

mainland by car, 30 minutes away from Hamad International Airport and just a five-

minute walk from the Esplanade Station of the Lusail Tram, making it a perfect

destination for business and leisure travellers alike. The island also offers a unique

driving experience, Al Maha Drive, reserved for supercars and classic cars with

exclusive benefits for its members.

Opened in November 2022, the destination is set to play a vital role in Qatar’s

tourism and hospitality sectors by attracting over 1.5 million visitors per year.

“We are proud and excited that the Qatar International Rally will start and finish

from Al-Maha Island, Qatar’s new, iconic and world-class tourist venue,” said Amro

Al-Hamad, Executive Director of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF).

“It will provide the perfect backdrop for the start of the event and the finish

celebrations on Saturday evening.”

Group CEO of Estithmar Holding, Mr. Henrik Christiansen said: “We are excited to

host the start and finish ceremonies of Qatar International Rally, round two of the

2023 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC). Al Maha Island is the ultimate

entertainment and leisure hotspot, transforming the tourism and hospitality in Qatar

to a new level. At Estithmar Holding our mission is to add exceptional value to our

customer and our world-class hospitality and entertainment projects will deliver and

create a memorable experience for the residents and visitors of Qatar.”

The three-day gravel rally is being organised by the QMMF and will be fought out

over 13 timed special stages and 209.69km competitive kilometres from Thursday

evening through to Saturday afternoon.

 

While the rally headquarters, service park and pre-event administration and

scrutineering checks will be carried out close to the QMMF offices at Lusail Sports

Arena, rally officials have also confirmed that Al-Maha Island will host the pre and

post-event press conferences at the start and finish podiums on Thursday and

Saturday evenings from 18.30hrs, respectively

Competitors from 13 nations will be permitted to carry out reconnaissance of the

special stages, before attending scrutineering at Lusail on Wednesday evening and

Thursday morning.

Last month, Abdullah Al-Rawahi was the winner of the opening round in his native

Oman for the second successive year and he and his Jordanian co-driver Ata Al-

Hmoud lead their respective Drivers’ and Co-drivers’ championships by six points

from the local favourite and defending champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and his

navigator Mathieu Baumel.

Former FIA MERC2 champion Meshari Al-Thefiri has returned to the category to try

and win back his crown this season: the Kuwaiti made the perfect start in Oman by

claiming third overall, the MERC2 win and a six-point advantage over Jordan’s Shaker

Jweihan in the points’ standings.

202 FIA Middle East Rally Championship – standings after round 1:

MERC

Drivers:

1. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN) 30pts

2. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT) 24pts

3. Meshari Al-Thefiri (KWT) 21pts

4. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT) 19pts

5. Shaker Jweihan (JOR) 17pts

6. Yousef Al-Dhafeeri (KWT) 15pts

7. Sheikh Bader Al-Fawaz (JOR) 13pts

8. Shadi Shaban (JOR) 11pts

9. Ahmad Khaled (LEB) 9pts

10. Abdullah Al-Zubair (OMN) 7pts

Co-drivers:

1. Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) 30pts

2. Mathieu Baumel (AND) 24pts

3. Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) 21pts

4. Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) 19pts

5. Nancy Al-Majali (JOR) 17pts

6. Carlos Hanna (LEB) 15pts

7. Emad Juma (JOR) 13pts

8. Samer Issa (JOR) 11pts

9. Samir Sfeir (LEB) 9pts

10. Taha Al-Zadjali (OMN) 7pts

MERC2

Drivers:

1. Meshari Al-Thefiri (KWT) 30pts

2. Shaker Jweihan (JOR) 24pts

3. Yousef Al-Dhafeeri (KWT) 21pts

4. Sheikh Bader Al-Fawaz (JOR) 19pts

5. Shadi Shaban (JOR) 17pts

6. Ahmad Khaled (LEB) 15pts

 

7. Abdullah Al-Zubair (OMN) 13pts

Co-drivers:

1. Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) 30pts

2. Nancy Al-Majali (JOR) 24pts

3. Carlos Hanna (LEB) 21pts

4. Emad Juma (JOR) 19pts

5. Samer Issa (JOR) 17pts

6. Samir Sfeir (LEB) 15pts

7. Taha Al-Zadjali (OMN) 13pts

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