The 2024 FIA Middle East Rally Championship is set to conclude with the Cyprus Rally on October 18-20, where Qatari Abdulaziz Al Kuwari holds a 12-point lead in the standings over Jordanian Shaker Jweihan and sits 14 points ahead of Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah. The event will feature 21 drivers, with six competing for MERC points and three aiming for the overall Drivers’ Championship. Al Kuwari only needs to finish fourth or higher in the general classification and the Power Stage to secure his first title, but a slip-up could see Al Attiyah snatch his 20th title.
Last year’s Cyprus event saw history made when Al Attiyah and Abdullah Al Rawahi tied on points, resulting in a shared title. With Al Rawahi withdrawing from the Cyprus Rally, the competition is between Al Kuwari, Al Attiyah, and Jweihan. While Al Kuwari and Al Muhannadi drive Skodas, Al Attiyah will be behind the wheel of an Autotek Motorsport-run machine, hoping for a successful finish. The event will also see participants from Cyprus, Jordan, and Lebanon aiming for various championship titles.
The MERC2 category sees Shaker Jweihan leading by 12 points, with no competitors present in Cyprus. Co-driver Carlos Hanna is present alongside Jweihan, aiming to secure the MERC2 Co-drivers’ Championship. Lebanese duo Shadi El Fakih and Samer Sfeir are chasing MERC4 points in their Peugeot 208, tied with absent competitors. Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini will be alongside Al Attiyah, defending a lead in the MERC Co-drivers’ Championship.
The Cyprus Rally will feature 12 gravel special stages and 191.20 competitive kilometers, with the event based in Nicosia. Due to instability in parts of the Middle East, Rally of Lebanon was not part of the Championship this year, and the final round in Oman was canceled. Despite the challenges, the competition is fierce, and drivers are prepared for an exciting conclusion to the 2024 FIA Middle East Rally Championship.
In the current standings after round 2 of 3, Abdulaziz Al Kuwari leads with 49 points, followed by Shaker Jweihan with 37 points and Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah with 35 points. The championship is still up for grabs, with Pierre-Louis Loubet, Mads Ostberg, and other competitors closely behind. The final round in Cyprus will determine the ultimate winner of the 2024 season, with drivers pushing themselves to the limit for a shot at glory.
