Meshari Al-Thefiri, of Kuwait, led the second round of the 2023 Qatar International Rally, FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC 2). Al-Thefiri and his Qatari teammate Nasser Al-Kuwari, riding a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, finished the race in 2hr 6min 3.3sec. with a comfortable margin from the second position. Speaking to KUNA, he said his team had a lead of 5min 12sec over the closest rivals, thus leading the general rating with 60 points.

This is Al-Thefiri’s fourth regional MERC title. His compatriot Yousef Al-Dhafeeri and Carlos Hanna, of Lebanon, riding a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, came second after finishing the race in 2hr 11min 15.8sec. Al-Dhafeeri thanked Kuwait Motor Sports Club, 965 Motor Club, Kuwait Airways Corp. and thePublic Authority for Sport for their support to the Kuwaiti mission to the rally. The results of this round qualified the Kuwaiti team to the third round of the championship (MERC 3), due in Jordan this May. (KUNA)