Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah alongside his Spanish co-driver Candido Carrera successfully secured the FIA Middle East Rally Championship title following a breathtaking and tense battle. The championship showdown culminated at the grueling Cyprus Rally, where the 55-year-old motorsport legend ultimately emerged victorious after weathering a dramatic series of twists, mechanical hurdles, and late-race pressure.
Behind the wheel of a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, Al-Attiyah immediately established his pace by dominating the opening leg of the rally which kicked off on Saturday. The seasoned Qatari veteran wrapped up the initial day holding a commanding lead of roughly 53 seconds over local Cyprus contender Simos Galatariotis, who was piloting an identical machine. Although Al-Attiyah suffered a late puncture on the final stage of Saturday, his main rival encountered the exact same misfortune, allowing the overall gap at the top of the standings to remain virtually unchanged overnight.
Sunday morning brought further early promise as Al-Attiyah extended his advantage to well over a minute, seemingly cruising toward a comfortable triumph. However, severe misfortune struck the championship leader during the two demanding stages leading directly into the final Power Stage. Consecutive punctures abruptly derailed his rhythm, instantly dropping him down the order and handing the lead to Galatariotis by a narrow 3.6-second margin with very little road left to recover.
Demonstrating championship pedigree, Al-Attiyah responded by setting a blistering pace on the final stage, clocking a time more than eight seconds faster than anyone else. That phenomenal final push was more than enough to snatch back the lead and secure a stunning overall victory by a scant 4.63 seconds. The hard-fought win further extended his unprecedented career milestones, marking his 21st championship crown and his remarkable 93rd career rally victory in regional competition.
For historical context, current FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem sits second in the all-time series statistics with 14 titles and 60 wins. Over an illustrious career spanning decades, Al-Attiyah has also contested 74 World Rally Championship events, capturing two WRC2 titles and one production car championship along the way. His enduring competitive edge was further highlighted during his return to the WRC at the Saudi Arabian round after a ten-year hiatus, where he impressed on his Rally1 debut by pacing the field as the fastest Ford driver in the early stages before ultimately finishing 15th overall.
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