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On Sunday, September 17, 2023, the 45th International Coral Rally of Lebanon came to a thrilling conclusion. The spotlight of the event shone brightly on Roger Feghali, who clinched his 16th victory in this prestigious race. Abdullah Al Rawahi from Oman, with co-driver Ata Al-Hamoud from Jordan, secured the second position in their Skoda Fabia R5 Rally 2 car, while Lebanese driver Bassel Bou Hamdan and his co-driver Firas Elias finished third in their Skoda Fabia Rally 2.
As the Qatari driver Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and his co-driver Matthieu Baumel withdrew from the race due to their Volkswagen Polo GTI Rally 2 car going off track during the fifth special stage on Saturday, Roger Feghali asserted his dominance in the competition, leaving a gap of 3 minutes and 46 seconds between him and the second-placed Al Rawahi. Bou Hamdan trailed by 4 minutes and 42 seconds, securing the third position.
On Sunday, four special speed stages were held in the Metn region, where Feghali recorded the fastest time without taking undue risks, mindful of any potential surprises that could have arisen. We also saw the unfortunate early departure of Roger’s son, Alex Feghali, due to a minor collision, while David Mezher’s race came to an end due to a mechanical failure.
Here’s the overall driver standings at the end of the rally:
Roger Feghali (Lebanon) and Joseph Matar (Lebanon) in the Volkswagen Polo GTI Rally 2: 1 hour, 52 minutes, and 53 seconds.
Abdullah Al Rawahi (Oman) and Ata Al-Hamoud (Jordan) in the Skoda Fabia R5 Rally 2: 1 hour, 56 minutes, and 39 seconds.
Bassel Bou Hamdan (Lebanon) and Firas Elias (Lebanon) in the Skoda Fabia Rally 2: 1 hour, 57 minutes, and 35 seconds.
Shadi Fakhreddine and his co-driver Samer Safir secured the “N” group title, while Elias Al-Dahhan and co-driver Amin Akl won the front-wheel-drive category. Joanna Hassoun claimed the Ladies’ Cup and the Rising Female Driver award. Joseph Salem and co-driver Sami Awad won the R4 2 category, Raafat Al-Muhtaar and co-driver Omar Mazkur took home the S.N. 1 category trophy, and Charbel Chibli and co-driver Dulin Chalhoub claimed the S.N. 2 category. Walid Chalhoub was named the Best Navigator.
The awards ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, including the Minister of Justice, Henry Khoury, and the Minister of Tourism, Walid Nassar, as well as representatives of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. George Klass. The Lebanese Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, was represented by Colonel Semaan Trad, and the Director-General of General Security, Major General Elias el-Bessri, was represented by Captain Mark Georges. Also present were the event’s organizer, Lawyer Eli Assaf, the club’s Secretary-General, Kamil Adda, the Chairman of the Mechanical Sports Committee, Emad Lahoud, and members of the board of directors, officials from the International Automobile Federation (FIA), rally officials, and representatives from sponsor companies, alongside a gathering of media professionals.
