NICOSIA (Cyprus): Omani rallying legend Hamed Al-Wahaibi returns to international rallying action at this weekend’s Nicosia-based Cyprus Rally, round four of the 2021 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC).
Absent from the special stages in the MERC since taking part in the 2011 Dubai International Rally in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, Al-Wahaibi’s original return to action was curtailed by a testing accident in Jordan back in May. But the Omani is relishing the challenge of taking on the notoriously demanding gravel stages in Cyprus.
The 53-year-old carried out testing on the island on Tuesday and today (Wednesday) with New Zealand navigator Tony Sircombe, his former co-driver on rounds of the WRC.
“I am excited to be back in Cyprus again after all these years,” said Al-Wahaibi. “It is such a great place with very good people and culture. The roads are fantastic, but very slow and twisty. It requires a different rhythm. There is a different flow. A different driving technique is needed here.
“I have been out of rallying for a long time. I cannot wait to get started. My goal is to get to the finish and have a clear run and gain the miles that I have lost through the years. I want to get the confidence back. We are doing the stages two times. It is really difficult to push, especially on stages like these. You need a lot more precise notes and we will have a big disadvantage against the guys who have been doing this rally year-after-year.
