Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah takes a massive lead into the final day of the Oman International Rally.

Agencies/Muscat, Oman


Qatar’s Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah and French co-driver Matthieu Baumel won all six of the day’s gravel special stages to hold a comfortable outright lead after leg one of the 23rd Oman International Rally yesterday. Al-Attiyah, who has already bagged the FIA Middle East Rally Championship, holds a lead of 1min 18.6sec in a Ford Fiesta RRC.
The Qatari-French duo have enjoyed a remarkable season thus far and were in a class of their own over the Sultanate’s testing mountain roads.
“No problems at all today and a good clean run on beautiful special stages,” said al-Attiyah, who is firmly on course to equal Mohamed Ben Sulayem’s record of 60 victories in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship. “We have a good lead now and can control our pace tomorrow and ensure that we don’t take any risks.”
Abu Dhabi Racing’s Sheikh Khalid al-Qassimi, driving a Citroen DS3 RRC and partnered by Ulster’s Chris Patterson, held second position.
Despite driving on a flat tyre, Qatar’s Abdulaziz al-Kuwari and British navigator Marshall Clarke were third – 24.8 seconds behind al-Qassimi - and Khalid al-Suwaidi and Giovanni Bernacchini rounded off the top four.
Kuwaiti Salah bin Eidan remains on course to clinch the Group N championship title in Oman and holds fifth position with Slovenian co-driver Vili Oslaj.
“I have been very impressed with the organisation of the rally,” said bin Eidan. “Marshals were very evident on the stages, you could see ambulances and this is the first time I have seen this in the championship. They are normally at the starts and finishes.”
The rate of attrition was high in the heat on the gravel surfaces and only 10 of the 14 cars finished the day. Saif al-Harthy was the leading Omani driver in sixth, after Zakariah al-Ofi lost time in the seventh stage. Mansoor Bel Helai headed Abu Dhabi Racing teammate Saeed Bintowq in the two-wheel drive contest.
There will be a further three special stages, repeated twice, today. Action begins with the 20.86km of the Khoud old village stage at 09.28hrs and moves on to specials at Murayat and Misfah North from 10.01hrs and 10.29hrs, respectively.
The three stages will be repeated in the afternoon at 12.47hrs, 13.20hrs and 13.48hrs, before the finishing ceremony brings proceedings to a close at the OAA from 16.00hrs.

Oman International Rally standings
1. Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah (QAT)/Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Ford Fiesta RRC 1hr 14min 11.2sec
2. Khalid al-Qassimi (ARE)/Chris Patterson (GBR) Citroën DS3 RRC 1hr 15min 29.8sec
3. Abdulaziz al-Kuwari (QAT)/Marshall Clarke (GBR) Ford Fiesta RRC 1hr 15min 54.6sec
4. Khalid al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Ford Fiesta RRC 1hr 17min 45.3sec
5. Salah bin Eidan (KWT)/Vili Oslaj (SVN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 23min 00.9sec
6. Saif al-Harthy (OMN)/Salim al-Abry (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 1hr 30min 21.0sec
7. Mansoor Bel Helai (ARE)/Khalid al-Kendi (ARE) Citroën DS3 R3T 1hr 33min 11.5sec
8. Saeed Bintowq (ARE)/Allan Harryman (GBR) Citroën DS3 R3T 1hr 36min 35.1sec
9. Zakariya al-Ofi (OMN)/Ammar al-Balushi (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 1hr 38min 59.2sec
10. Zakariya Said Ahmed (OMN)/Saif al-Hinai (OMN) Subaru Impreza 1hr 45min 21.4sec