Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah is closing in on one of Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s long-standing Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) records, for the most number of wins in the regional series.
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Ben Sulayem has the most number of wins at 60, unchallenged since 2002 when the Emirati discontinued competitive rallying to concentrate on running the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, of which he is the president.
The ATCUAE boss, who is also FIA vice president, accumulated these wins over a period of 16 years from 1986 to 2002.
Al Attiyah entered the regional rally series in 2003, exactly a year after Ben Sulayem had hung up his coveralls, and picked up his 56th win on Saturday with victory at Kuwait International Rally.
This brings him to within four wins of equalling Ben Sulayem’s record and five to surpassing that long-standing feat. For all practical purposes, Al Attiyah can achieve one or both this year itself given that the MERC is now made up of eight rounds as opposed to six in previous years.
Ben Sulayem also holds the record for winning the most number of regional titles at 14, and Al Attiyah is within striking distance of this milestone too after picking up his 10th MERC trophy last year.
That his 10th title is under challenge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland is another matter. Should the court rule in his favour and Al Attiyah win the title again this year, he will need three more crowns to share the honours with Ben Sulayem.
At age 44, the Qatari is still going strong, having won the Dakar Rally for a second time earlier this year, adding to the WRC 2 title he secured last season. All indications are he will not quit competing regionally until he surpasses Ben Sulayem’s longstanding record of 14 titles.
