Muscat – Oman is set to mount a strong challenge at the 2025 Rally Saudi Arabia (May 1–3), as three Omani crews prepare to compete in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC)’s newest and most anticipated round.

Leading Oman’s charge at Rally Saudi Arabia will be Abdullah al Rawahi, joined by his new English co-driver Ross Whittock in a Skoda Fabia. They will be backed by strong efforts from Abdullah al Zubair and co-driver Taha Soomar, as well as Zakaria al Amri and Mohammed al Mazrui, both crews piloting Subaru Impreza N14s

This historic event marks Saudi Arabia’s return to the MERC after 15 years and serves as its official FIA candidate event ahead of its debut on the World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar in November.

The rally will see 29 cars — including nine Rally2 machines — tackle six brand-new gravel stages across 192 competitive kilometres, repeated over two legs centred around Jeddah and northern regions. The final stage, Thahban 2, will serve as the Power Stage.

Speaking ahead of the event, Al Rawahi said: “This is a brand-new round with unknown stages for all of us. With a new co-driver onboard, we must be ready for anything. We anticipate tough competition, especially from Nasser al Attiyah. Our goal is to fight for the lead and collect maximum points.”

“In terms of the car, we have been working hard to get the best out of it.  Recently, we have been happy with it. I am hoping we can perform well with the right set-up. We can’t make any changes until we see the stages. Then we will make up our mind and test a few things on the car in Saudi. Our plan is to push and try and secure the win.”

Al Zubair is focused on climbing the standings in the (N) category after a strong run at the Oman International Rally. Meanwhile, Al Amri and Al Mazrui aim to consolidate their lead in their category and are targeting a top finish.

With top regional names like Al Attiyah, Abdulaziz al Kuwari, and Juho Hänninen in the mix, the Omani trio is ready to take on one of the most competitive fields in the region’s history.