DUBAI, 3 December 2004 — Lebanon’s Abdo Feghali held second position on Day 1 of the Dubai International Rally after the fourth timed special last Friday.
The rally was part of FIA Middle East Championship, round 8 of 8. At the wheel of his Red Bull Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8, the current Lebanese national rally champion is tackling his first desert event and trailed early leader and defending champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah by 1m 29s.
Thirty-six cars were flagged away from the start at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel at 09.30 hrs on Thursday morning, with seven timed special stages on the program for the first of two legs in the season’s championship finale. Abdo set out into today’s stage with one eye on the stage times set by Qatar’s defending champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah.
Al-Attiyah, as expected, opened his account with the fastest time in the opening Margham stage, but Feghali was on the pace of the leading bunch and held fourth position after the first stage, a mere five seconds behind the championship leader Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi.
As he adjusted to driving in desert conditions for the first time, son his confidence grew and he moved into second position at the service point between Madam and Al-Dhaid.
“People tell you about the desert, but you do not realize how difficult it can be until you are actually racing yourself,” said Abdo. “You can practice the stages one day and come back on the day of the race and the tracks have changed. There are cuts and grooves everywhere. Now I know what to expect and have been enjoying it a lot. I have a good position and will ease off a little to make sure that I maintain my position over the remaining stages.”
There was disappointment for Sheikh Suhail Bin Khalifa Al-Maktoum. The Dubai driver was forced to withdraw his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution from proceedings when the engine failed.
Defending Group N champion Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi was also forced out in the opening stage with an engine fire, where Saudi Arabia’s Ahmed Al-Sabban stopped to assist. Jordan’s Amjad Farrah rolled in the second stage and continued and the UAE’s Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi held third position and remained on track to take the regional title.
Leg one offered seven timed special stages in the remote desert regions around Fossil Rock, south of Dubai. The event is the traditional final round of the regional series and the final seven special stages, north of Hatta, will bring an end to one of the most exciting Middle East Championships on record tomorrow (Friday).
Leading positions after 4 special stages (unofficial):
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QA)/Chris Patterson (GB) Subari Impreza WRX Sti, 36m 35s. 2. Abdo Feghali (RL)/Joseph Mattar (RL) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8, 38m 04s. 3. Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi (UAE)/Michael Orr (GB) Subaru Impreza WRX Sti, 38m 08s. 4. Michel Saleh (RL)/Ziad Chehab (RL) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6, 39m 18s. 5. Amjad Farrah (HKJ)/Khaled Zakaria (HKJ) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7, 40m 49s.
