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Middle East Rally Championship
Rally championship series held in the Middle East
Rally championship series held in the Middle East
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| category | R5 |
| Rally2 | |
| Group N | |
| region | Middle East |
| inaugural2 | 1984 |
| champion driver | QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah |
| OMA Abdullah Al-Rawahi | |
| current_season | 2023 Middle East Rally Championship |
Rally2 Group N OMA Abdullah Al-Rawahi The Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) is a motor rally championship run under the auspices of the FIA.
History
First held in 1984 the championship encompasses a series of rallies held across Western Asia. The championship has featured long-running events like Rally of Lebanon, Rally Oman and the Troodos Rally in Cyprus as well as World Rally Championship event Jordan Rally. Many of the rallies in the region pre-date national independence, mostly from the United Kingdom.
The championship has been dominated by Nasser Al-Attiyah who has won 19 titles.
The championship features events in Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Lebanon, Cyprus, Jordan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The championship has also visited Bahrain, Syria and Saudi Arabia.
List of events
- Qatar International Rally (1984–present)
- Kuwait International Rally (1984–85, 1987–89, 1995–96, 2009–2016, 2018–present)
- Bahrain International Rally (1984, 2000–02, 2004–05)
- Jordan Rally (1984–88, 1990, 1992–present)
- Oman International Rally (1984–88, 1990–94, 1998, 2004–07, 2015)
- Dubai International Rally, United Arab Emirates (1984–88, 1990–95, 1997–2015)
- Rally of Lebanon, (1987–88, 1991–2004, 2006–present)
- UAE International Rally, United Arab Emirates (1989, 1995–2001, 2004–06)
- Tour of Cyprus, (1998–1999)
- Troodos Rally, Cyprus, (2000–2009, 2011)
- Syria International Rally, (2001–05, 2007–10)
- Cyprus Rally, (2007–08, 2010, 2012–present)
- Sharqia Rally, Saudi Arabia, (2010)
- Shiraz Rally, Iran, (2015–17)
Champions
| Year | Driver | Car | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QAT Saeed Al-Hajri | Porsche 911 SC RS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Saeed Al-Hajri (2) | Porsche 911 SC RS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Toyota Celica Twin-Cam Turbo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Toyota Celica Twin-Cam Turbo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Toyota Celica Twin-Cam Turbo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KSA Mamdouh Khayat | Lancia Delta HF Integrale | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Hamed Al-Thani | Mitsubishi Galant VR4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KSA Abdullah Bakhashab | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Ford Escort WRC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Ford Focus RS WRC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Ford Focus RS WRC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | Ford Focus RS WRC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem (14) | Ford Focus RS WRC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Subaru Impreza WRC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Subaru Impreza WRC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UAE Khalid Al Qassimi | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Misfer Al Marri | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Ford Fiesta S2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Ford Fiesta RRC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peugeot 207 S2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Ford Fiesta RRC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Ford Fiesta RRC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Ford Fiesta RRC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Škoda Fabia R5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Ford Fiesta R5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Ford Fiesta R5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| OMA Abdullah Al-Rawahi | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari | Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah (20) | Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 |
;Footnotes
Rally winners
After the 2025 season:
| Driver | Wins |
|---|---|
| QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah | 90 |
| UAE Mohammed Ben Sulayem | 60 |
| LBN Roger Feghali | 17 |
| QAT Saeed Al-Hajri | 11 |
| UAE Khalid Al Qassimi | 8 |
| CYP Andreas Tsouloftas | 4 |
| OMA Abdullah Al-Rawahi | |
| KSA Abdullah Bakhashab | 3 |
| SWE Björn Waldegård | |
| LBN Jean-Pierre Nasrallah | |
| KSA Yazeed Al-Rajhi | |
| UAE Suhail bin Maktoum | 2 |
| UAE Khalifa Al-Mutaiwi | |
| LBN Michel Saleh | |
| QAT Abdulaziz Al Kuwari | |
| CYP Charalambos Thimotheou | |
| QAT Khalid Al Suwaidi | |
| JOR Amjad Farrah | 1 |
| CYP Andreas Peratikos | |
| CYP Chris Thomas | |
| LBN Samir Ghanem | |
| UAE Abdullah Al-Qassimi | |
| QAT Abbas Al-Motaiwi | |
| QAT Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah | |
| QAT Hamed Bin Eid Al-Thani | |
| LBN Maurice Sehnaoui | |
| LBN Tony Georgiou | |
| ITA Alex Fiorio | |
| ITA Piero Liatti | |
| GBR Russell Brookes | |
| FRA Alain Oreille | |
| OMA Nizar Shanfari | |
| CYP Nicos Thomas | |
| UAE Rashed El-Ketbi | |
| LBN Nicolas Amiouni | |
| LBN Tamer Ghandour | |
| LBN Rodolphe Asmar | |
| QAT Rashid El-Naimi | |
| FRA Pierre-Louis Loubet | |
| CSK Vojtěch Štajf |
Wins per nationality
Count as after Cyprus 2023
| Driver | Wins |
|---|---|
| Qatar | 100 |
| United Arab Emirates | 74 |
| Lebanon | 27 |
| Cyprus | 9 |
| Saudi Arabia | 6 |
| Oman | 5 |
| Sweden | 3 |
| Italy | 2 |
| Jordan | 1 |
| France | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Czech Republic |
References
References
- (23 Nov 2023). "The rally title decided by a committee meeting".
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