QMMF laid on a slightly revised three-day format that offers 13 timed special stages

Round two of the 2023 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) for the second successive season on February 16-18 will be hosted by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF). Officials at the QMMF have laid on a slightly revised three-day format that offers 13 timed special stages and 209.69km competitive kilometres in a route of 618.52km. The Sultanate of Oman will arrange the opening rally in the six-event series on January 26-28 and the Qatar event will then be followed by further rounds in Kuwait (March 16-18), Jordan (May 18-20), Lebanon (September 1-3) and Cyprus (September 22-24). Scrutineering facilities and the media centre will be based at the LCSC Karting Academy for the first time. 

The event will get underway with the traditional pre-event press conference and ceremonial start, after technical checks on Wednesday and Thursday (February 15 and 16). The competitive action fires into life with a new floodlit 3.27km super special stage at the LCSC Karting Academy from 20.00hrs on Thursday evening. The demanding Qatar deserts will then play host to two days of competitive action. Two loops of three specials are planned for Friday (February 17) with competitors tackling the challenging Al Khor special and revised gravel tests at Ras Laffan and Al Thakira in the north of the country

Two passes through a new stage at Waab Al Mashrab and similar stages to last year at Al Waab and Umm Birka are on the agenda for Saturday (February 18) before the post-event press conference, prize giving and ceremonial finish take centre stage from 18.30hrs onwards.

The rally will be held under the chairmanship of QMMF President Abdulrahman Al Mannai, senior committee member Abdulrazaq Al Kuwari and the QMMF’s Executive Director Amro Al Hamad. Portugal’s Pedro Almeida will work as the Clerk of the Course alongside his deputy, Rashed Al Sulaiti. Almeida is currently working in a similar capacity at the 45th Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.

The QMMF has also announced a series of generous concessions for international and GCC competitors keen to tackle the Qatar event. International competitors (cars and T4 entries) will be given a $6,000 shipping allowance, with GCC entrants receiving $3,000, subject to vehicles passing scrutineering and administrative checks. Entry fees will also be returned and competitor entering before the first cut off date will be awarded a bonus of QR1,000. 

The QMMF will also arrange economy class flight tickets for both driver and co-driver, once entry fees are paid, and supply one twin room with breakfast for five nights. Supplementary regulations and further details are available from www.qmmf.com, with entries closing January 19. A final cut-off date is set for February 2.