Saturday 03 / May / 2025
JEDDAH (SAUDI ARABIA): Abdullah Al-Rawahi overcame a series of flat tyres to finish fifth overall in the inaugural Jeddah-based Rally Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The Omani teamed up with British co-driver Ross Whittock and tackled two days of demanding action across new special stages to the east and north of the Red Sea city.
The Oman Rally Team driver’s progress in his Autotek Škoda Fabia RS was hampered by a series of flat tyres on Friday and more time lost on the penultimate stage on Saturday. But he was regularly third quickest on individual gravel stages behind eventual winner Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Finnish runner-up Juho Hänninen. The points haul keeps him in contention for the Drivers’ Championship as the 2025 FIA Middle East Rally Championship reached its halfway point.
Al-Rawahi said: “It has been a disappointing rally for us. A lot of punctures. We are not sure why because we are not hitting rocks sideways. I don’t know if it is luck or something to do with the tyres. We have a different compound tyre to Nasser but this is all we have. Today’s stages were a bit more open but everyone was cutting.”
The second day of Rally Saudi Arabia used three special stages to the north of Jeddah that were repeated twice. Al-Rawahi began the day in fifth overall and consolidated that position after the opening Al-Ghulah stage. He set the fourth fastest time on the first pass through Asfan and closed in on fourth-placed Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, who sustained a puncture.
The Omani was third quickest through the Thahban special and headed back to the service point in Jeddah well clear of sixth-placed Hamza Bakhashab and still within striking distance of Al-Kuwari in fourth.
He was third quickest again on the re-run of the Al-Ghulah stage but further tyre woes cost him vital time in the penultimate stage. But Al-Rawahi finished the event on a high note with the second quickest time on the concluding Power Stage to secure additional points towards his regional championship campaign.
The Oman Rally Team has received vital backing from Al-Manar Investments, the Oman Automobile Association, WMS, Zamakan, OQ, Strike, Size, the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture of Oman and National Finance.
Round four of the 2025 FIA Middle East Rally Championship takes place in Jordan on May 29th-31st.
2025 Rally Saudi Arabia – positions after SS12
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Candido Carrera (ESP) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 1hr 34min 05.5sec
2. Juho Hänninen (FIN)/Janni Hussi (FIN) Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2 1hr 35min 42.9sec*
3. Rakan Al-Rashed (KSA)/Hugo Magalhães (POR) Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2 1hr 39min 08.9sec
4. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Lorcan Moore (IRL) Citroën C3 Rally 2 1hr 40min 06.4sec
5. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMA)/Ross Whittock (GBR) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 1hr 43min 11.8sec
6. Hamza Bakhashab (KSA)/Marcin Pasek (POL) Can-Am Maverick R (SSV) 1hr 47min 11.7sec
7. Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Ziad Chehab (LBN) Ford Fiesta Mk II Rally 2 1hr 49min 56.9sec
8. Abdullah Al-Zubair (OMA)/Taha Al-Zadjali (OMA) Subaru Impreza WRX Sti 1hr 55min 18.9sec
9. Bassel Abu Hamdan (KSA)/Firas Elias (LBN) Škoda Fabia Rally 2 2hr 00min 43.5sec
10. Rashid Al-Muhannadi (QAT)/Szymon Gospodarczyk (POL) Peugeot 208 Rally 4 2hr 02min 18.0sec
11. Shadi El Fakih (LBN)/Joseph Kmeid (LBN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 02min 43.6sec
12. Ihab Al-Shurafa (JOR)/Ahmad Jankhout (JOR) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 2hr 02min 54.5sec
13. Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMA)/Mohammed Al-Mazroui (OMA) Subaru Impreza WRX Sti 2hr 07min 11.5sec
14. Shadi Shaban (JOR)/Samer Issa (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX (NAT) 2hr 11min 38.7sec
15. Mohammed Al-Marri (QAT)/Giovanni/Bernacchini (ITA) Peugeot 208 Rally 4 2hr 48min 27.0sec
*denotes not registered for the MERC
