Nasser Al-Attiyah Dominates Day One of Oman International Rally

Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, alongside co-driver Candido Carrera, surged to a commanding lead in the 28th Oman International Rally on Friday. The pair dominated the day, winning all six gravel stages and finishing with a 3-minute, 32-second advantage in their Skoda Fabia RS.

Al-Attiyah, a seven-time winner in Oman, expressed satisfaction with his performance and the car’s setup. “It was a good day. The car is working very well, and Candido is doing a great job,” he said. Reflecting on a fellow competitor’s accident, he added, “We saw Abdulaziz [Al-Kuwari] out of the stage. It was a tricky spot.”

Challengers and Early Drama

Saudi Arabia’s Rakan Al-Rashed and Portugal’s Hugo Magalhaes, driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2, emerged as the closest challengers despite enduring two punctures during the morning’s opening stage. Adopting a cautious approach later in the day, Al-Rashed said, “We made a good decision to drive at our pace. It’s been a while since we’ve been in this championship.”

Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah and Ziad Chehab secured third place in their Ford Fiesta, recovering from a minor setback during Thursday evening’s stage.

Defending regional champion Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, debuting a QMMF-backed Citroën C3, showed early promise before an accident on the final stage of the day ended his run. Misjudging a sharp corner, Al-Kuwari’s car became stuck on a low wall, forcing him to retire. “I am getting used to the car every stage,” he said earlier. “The stages are not easy, but I am gaining confidence.”

Oman’s Abdullah Al-Rawahi, who had high hopes for a third home rally win, suffered a mechanical failure on the first stage of the day. The rear hub and brake of his Skoda sustained damage, putting him out of contention. “We were pushing hard, but the rear side of the car completely came off,” Al-Rawahi explained.

Standings and Saturday’s Challenge

Jordan’s Shadi Shaban and Samer Issa held fourth place, while Qatar’s Rashid Al-Muhannadi and co-driver Gary Mcelhinney secured fifth in a Peugeot 208 Rally 4. Local duo Abdullah Al-Zubair and Taha Al-Zadjali, driving a Subaru Impreza, led the MERC2 category despite a three-minute delay on the penultimate stage.

Saturday will feature two loops of three special stages, starting with the 25.20km Al-Akak stage at 9:18 am. Competitors will also tackle Yanboa (13.45km) and Misyal A’sidr (19.32km) before a midday regrouping. The rally concludes with a ceremonial finish at Sohar Entertainment Centre at 6:15 pm.

With Al-Attiyah poised for a record eighth victory, all eyes will be on the Qatari ace as the rally draws to an exciting close.