Kuwait Celebrates MERC History

Round two of the FIA's Middle East Rally Championship, Kuwait Rally (5-7March), will be the 150th event in the twenty six year history of the FIA's regional championship, the series which started in Qatar in 1984. The official FIA series was launched after useful experiences were gained in the Rothmans Middle East series (1978 - 1980) and then the Gulf Rally Challenge (1982 - 1983). Easily the most successful driver in the MERC has been Mohammed Bin Sulayem, with no fewer than 60 victories in qualifying rounds, and fourteen FIA regional championships. Second most successful MERC driver is Nasser Al Attiyah with 30 victories. A qualifying round in Kuwait has been absent from the MERC series since 1996.

32 cars have been entered the event and Nasser Al Attiyah makes his return to Subaru rallying. This event is intended to be the first qualifying round of the under 27 MERC Pirelli Star Driver, but so far the total number of MERC applicants is reported to be ONE. In 2008, the MERC award was the subject of controversial misunderstandings. It is reported by those close to the matter that the FIA has reversed their decision on 16 December to grant the 2008 Middle East category Pirelli Star Driver award to Lebanese driver Nick Georgiou, in favour of his rival Nick Thomas from Cyprus. The FIA had only stated the decision was expected on February 28, but in fact the result was known the day before. 21 year old Thomas started rallying in 2006 and had meanwhile been nominated as a PCWRC Guest Driver on the forthcoming Cyprus Rally. This week he will undergo personal training along with the other four PSD award winners, who will then have their first test with their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Group N cars.

Leg one of the new Kuwait International Rally gets underway on Thursday, March 5th with the traditional ceremonial start under the world famous Kuwait Towers. Competitors will then head straight into a purpose-built 3.5km timed spectator stage at the Jaber Al-Ahmad Circuit.
The second section of leg one features a further six timed special stages in the Kuwait desert, split by the main service and regroup at around midday on Friday, March 6th. Leg two on Saturday, March 7th offers a further seven special stages. A final regrouping and lunchtime service precedes the second sprint through the spectator stage at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Circuit. The ceremonial finish will take place under the Kuwait Towers from 5.30pm

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Photo 1: Harru Kallstrom - Datson 160J and the Kuwait Towers at the 1980 edition finish
Photo 2: Nick Thomas

Overall classification MERC: Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah 10p, Yazeed Al Rajhi 8p, Khaled Al Qassimi 6p, Misfer Al Marri 5p, Rashid Al Ketbi 4p, etc