(MENAFN- Arab Times) KUWAIT CITY March 15: Defending FIA Middle East rally champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah claimed his fifth record win Saturday at the Kuwait International Rally 2015 held at the rally grounds in Julai'a south of Kuwait City. The event participated by twenty teams and organized by Sheikh Athbi Naif Al-Sabah's Basil Salem Al-Sabah Motor Racing Club (BMRC) in conjunction with the Kuwait International Automobile Club (KIAC) was decided over 13 gravel special stages on Friday and Saturday.
Driving the Ford Fiesta RRC with codriver Matthieu Baumel Al-Attiyah won 13 gravel stages and reached the podium at Marina Crescent with a winning margin of 1min 02.10sec. Saleh Bin Eidan clinched the Group N category while Abu Dhabi Racing's Bel Helai topped the 2WD category. Nineteen cars were given start times for the second day although Dawood Al- Gharabally failed to take advantage of Rally 2 and 18 cars began the day. Al- Attiyah headed into the final two loops of three stages with a lead of 1min 14.9sec and that advantage grew to 1min 22.9sec after the first run through the 23.81km of Bneider. Group N Trophy leader Meshari Al- Thafiri and 2WD front-runner Mohammed Al-Sahlawi were sidelined. Al-Thafiri damaged his Mitsubishi's radiator after a jump and ongoing drive shaft issues after a gearbox change thwarted Al-Sahlawi. Al-Attiyah's closest rivals held station heading to the first pass through the Arifjan stage and Al-Qassimi snatched his first fastest time of the event and reduced Al-Attiyah's lead by 5.21 seconds. Al-Rajhi retained a distant third although his cause was not helped by a 60-second penalty imposed by rally officials following a route infringement on Friday and two punctures on the first two stages. This forced the Saudi to start the third special on a deflating and non-shredded tyre that he had removed on the previous test. Al-Attiyah was fastest again through Julai'a and reached service with an advantage of 1min 19.0sec. A repeat run through the three stages was all that stood in the way of Al- Attiyah and a record fifth win in Kuwait. Fifteen cars remained in the rally although Elie Chachati was struggling with gear lever issues in 12th place. Al-Attiyah was 20 seconds slower through the re-run of Bneider than he had been in the morning. Even though Al-Rajhi claimed the quickest time Nasser's lead grew to 1min 39.5sec. Saleh Aly of Kuwait suffered mechanical problems and failed to finish the stage. Al-Attiyah was now running noticeably slower and Al-Qassimi shaved 27.7 seconds off the Qatari's advantage in Arifjan 2. It meant that the defending champion headed for the final stage at Julai'a with a lead of 1min 11.8sec. Caution was the order of the day there as well for the Qatari and he reached the stage finish with the third quickest time to confirm a fifth win in Kuwait. Al-Rajhi confirmed third overall with his second fastest stage time but gear selection woes sidelined Abu Dhabi Racing's Saeed Bin Towq on the final stage. Speaking to the Arab Times Khaled Al-Rubai an organizing assistant to Sheikh Athbi Naef AlSabah Chairman of the Rally organizing committee said the rally overall was a big success compared to all rallies organized in Kuwait in the past years. 'Yes this stands out and we are going to make it even better next time around' he stated. 2015 Middle East Rally Championship - drivers' positions after round 2: 1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT) 50 pts 2. Khalid Al-Qassimi (ARE) 36 pts 3. Khalid Al-Suwaidi (QAT) 20 pts 4. Salah bin Eidan (KWT) 18 pts 5. Yazeed Al-Rajhi (SAU) 15 pts 5. Khalifa Al-Attiyah (QAT) 15 pts 7. Abdullah Al-Kuwari (QAT) 14 pts 8. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT) 12 pts 9. Ali Mesgarha (IRN) 8 pts 9. Edith Weiss (GER) 8 pts 11. Mansoor Bel Helai (ARE) 2 pts 12. Rashid Al-Naimi (QAT) 1 pt By Iddris Seidu Arab Times Staff
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