Al-Attiyah bids for 15th win at Jordan Rally

The 2022 Jordan Rally, spherical 4 of the 2022 FIA Center East Rally Championship (MERC), will get underway with a ceremonial begin on the Royal Vehicle Museum in Amman at this time afternoon.    
Qatar’s Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah has received the regional title on 17 events and amassed 80 MERC occasion wins, together with 14 within the Hashemite Kingdom. Whereas French legend Sébastien Loeb bids for his 81st WRC win at this weekend’s Rally of Portugal, al-Attiyah might be aiming for the same feat within the MERC over 4000 kilometres away on the lowest level on earth. Away from conventional particular stage rallies, each drivers at the moment are nice rivals within the new FIA World Rally-Raid Championship.
Partnered by Andorra-based navigator Mathieu Baumel on the wheel of an Autotek Volkswagen Polo GTi, the Qatari presently holds a 50-point MERC sequence lead over Jordanian driver Issa Abu Jamous, with the latter switching his focus to defending a sizeable lead within the MERC2 class. Baumel was pressured to overlook the opening spherical in Oman by way of sickness and the Frenchman solely leads the Co-Drivers’ Championship by 11 factors from Emad Juma in consequence.
Al-Attiyah stated: “I’m actually blissful to return again right here to Jordan. It’s my favorite rally and it’s spherical 4 of the Center East this yr. It is not going to be simple for everyone. Additionally, this yr, now we have the lengthy stage that we used earlier than within the WRC. This might be robust for everyone. We’ll put together. The ambiance is all the time good right here in Jordan.
“This yr has been a very good yr for us. We began by profitable Dakar after which we received the 2 Center East Championship rallies in Oman and Qatar. Kuwait, we completed second. We must be intelligent right here. If we win, we should always win the championship. We have to take pleasure in and share the expertise with all people.”
Standing in the way in which of al-Attiyah attaining his purpose might be two rivals in related R5 machines and an extra 23 entrants throughout the varied courses and classes. Oman’s Abdullah al-Rawahi groups up with native co-driver Ata al-Hmoud to drive his Skoda Fabia R2 evo, whereas al-Attiyah’s cousin Nasser Khalifa al-Atya might be partnered by Italian navigator Giovanni Bernacchini in a Ford Fiesta R5. Al-Rawahi and al-Atya presently maintain third and fourth locations within the Drivers’ Championship, with the previous trying to bounce again from a heavy touchdown that injury his Fabia’s radiator and prompted engine injury on the final occasion in Kuwait.
Al-Atya was runner-up within the regional rally sequence again in 1993 and would dearly like to repeat the feat 29 years later. His solely win within the MERC to this point got here on the Qatar Worldwide Rally the identical yr. Bernacchini, alternatively, is the equal third most profitable co-driver within the historical past of the championship. He’s tied with Chris Patterson on 25 wins, because of his multi-year stint alongside Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah. Solely Ronan Morgan (41 wins) and Baumel (28 wins) have a greater report within the area.
Right now, automobiles will go by way of scrutineering checks earlier than a number of of the main drivers attend the pre-event press convention (17.45hrs) that precedes the ceremonial begin (18.00hrs onwards).