BEIRUT: Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of world motor sport governing body the FIA, met the Lebanese president, Joseph Aoun, on Monday to discuss the future of motor sport in the region, including the role of the Rally of Lebanon in the Middle East Rally Championship.

The meeting at Baabda Palace came after Ben Sulayem attended the 48th Rally of Lebanon over the weekend, which was the fourth round of this year’s Middle East championship. Lebanon’s Roger Feghali and co-driver Joseph Matar won the event, which concluded on Sunday in Kaslik.

Ben Sulayem, who is Emirati and won the Rally of Lebanon four times during his driving career, said the event “plays a key role” in plans to secure the long-term future of the regional championship.

“The Rally of Lebanon provided me with many great memories during my rally driving career, and I’m thrilled to once again experience the excitement this event creates for competitors and the country’s passionate motor sport fans,” he said.

“The event has a rich history embedded in the origins of Middle East motor sport. It is firmly established as the home for asphalt rallying in the region.”

Ben Sulayem won the Middle East Rally Championship 14 times, with victories in the Lebanon rally coming in 1987, 1991, 1998 and 1999. He retired from competitive racing in 2002.

His achievements in Lebanon were recognized with honors from several of the country’s presidents over the years; Amine Gemayel awarded him the President’s Cup in 1987 and Emile Lahoud presented him with the Medal of Honour in 1999.

The FIA is seeking to strengthen the future of rallying globally. In July, the organization announced what it described as the largest commercial deal in the history of the World Rally Championship and European Rally Championship, following the acquisition of the WRC Promoter GmbH, which is responsible for the commercial aspects of the championships, by Cosmobilis and Park Square Capital.

Ben Sulayem said at the time: “Rallying is a huge part of my personal story. It has shaped who I am and how I work, and I am deeply committed to its future.”