Tuesday 13 / January / 2026
MUSCAT (OMAN): The Oman Automobile Association (OAA) announced today that 13 crews and competitors from 11 nations will compete in next week’s Oman International Rally, the opening round of the 2026 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC).
There will also be a national status section for crews running at the rear of the field with four teams currently registered. Based in the city of Sohar for a second successive year on January 22nd-24th, the event again takes its slot as the season’s opener with rounds to follow in Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, Cyprus and Saudi Arabia.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah is the most successful driver in Middle East motor sporting history and the Qatari teams up with Spanish co-driver Candido Carrera at the head of the field, as he bids to start his campaign for a 21st regional rally title and a record-breaking ninth win in the Sultanate of Oman. Al-Attiyah again wheels out a Škoda Fabia RS run by Autotek Motorsport.
His main rival will be the leading local driver and former regional champion Abdullah Al-Rawahi. Now recovered from an injury sustained on a national event in Lebanon last year, Al-Rawahi teams up with Jordanian co-driver Ata Al-Hmoud and will be looking for a third victory on his home event in six years. He also drives a Škoda Fabia RS.
Further Rally 2 competition comes from the likes of Hamza Bakhashab, the son of the former regional champion Abdullah, with Irish co-driver Lorcan Moore in a Toyota GR Yaris and Qatari veteran and defending Master driver champion Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya with his team-mate Ziad Chehab.
There are additional Rally 2 entries for Jordan’s Sheikh Bader Al-Fayez (Škoda), Qatar’s Rashid Al-Muhannadi (Peugeot) and Ihab Al-Shorafa (Škoda).
Talented Qatari youngster Mohammed Al-Marri will be flying QMMF Team colours in Rally 4 with his Peugeot 208 against Indian racer Payyaakkal Panikkaveettil (Ford), while Lebanon’s Shadi Al-Fakih will be looking for success in Rally 5 with a Renault Clio.
The battle for Rally 2 honours should be fought out between local driver Zakariya Al-Aamri (Subaru) and Mitsubishi Lancers in the hands of Kuwaiti Jassim Al-Muqahwi and Jordan’s Shaker Jweihan. Defending champion Abdullah Al-Zubair is not competing.
Organised under the chairmanship of Brigadier Jamal Said Al-Tai, vice-chairman Suleiman Al-Rawahi, Rally Director Anwar Al-Zadjali and Clerk of the Course Hani Shaban, the event has invaluable support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Sohar Governorate office and Toyota Oman.
The official ceremonial start takes place at the Sohar Entertainment Centre on Thursday, January 22nd.
2026 Oman International Rally – entry list (subject to FIA approval):
1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Candido Carrera (ESP) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2
2. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2
3. Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya (QAT)/Ziad Chehab (LEB) Ford Fiesta Mk II Rally 2
4. Hamza Bakhashab (KSA)/Lorcan Moore (IRL) Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2
5. Rashid Al-Muhannadi (QAT)/Szymon Gospodarczyk (POL) Peugeot 208 Rally 2
6. Zakariya Al-Aamri (OMN)/Mohammed Al-Mazroui (OMN) Subaru Impreza WRX STi
7. Bader Al-Fayez (JOR)/TBA Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2
8. Ihab Al-Shurafa (JOR)/Ahmad Jankout (JOR) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2
9. Mohammed Al-Marri (QAT)/Pierre Delorme (FRA) Peugeot 208 Rally 4
10. Shadi El Fakih (LBN)/Joseph Kmeid (LBN) Renault Clio Rally 5
11. Jassim Al-Muqahwi (KWT)/Sulaiman Al-Helal (KWT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
12. Payyaakkal Panikkaveettil (IND)/Musa Sherif (IND) Ford Fiesta
14. Shaker Jweihan (JOR)/Mustafa Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
2026 Oman National Rally – entry list:
15. Sami Fleifel (JOR)/Ibrahim Ali (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
16. Mohammed Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Yazan Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
17. Rhea Dagher (LBN)/TBA Can-Am Maverick
18. Farah Zakaria (JOR)/TBA Can-Am Maverick
