Amman, May 15 (QNA) - Qatari rally star Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah delivered a commanding performance on Friday to seize the overall lead of the 2026 Jordan Rally, the third round of the Middle East Rally Championship, after winning all six special stages contested across the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea regions.

Al Attiyah, partnered by Spanish co-driver Candido Carrera in a إ koda Fabia RS Rally2, dominated the opening day from start to finish.

The Qatari driver completed the six stages in a total time of 59 minutes, 39.8 seconds, building a comfortable advantage of 1 minute, 12.8 seconds over his nearest challenger, Omani driver Abdullah Al Rawahi.

The rally also witnessed a strong Qatari presence across multiple categories. In the Rally4 class, Mohammed Al Marri emerged as the category leader ahead of compatriot Rashid Al Muhannadi, who finished second. Al Marri also secured an impressive eighth place in the overall standings after the opening leg. 

Meanwhile, Nasser Khalifa Al Attiyah, the current leader of the Middle East Rally Championship standings, endured a frustrating day alongside Lebanese co-driver Ziad Chehab after suffering persistent brake problems from the outset.

The technical issues hampered their pace throughout the day, leaving the duo down in tenth place overall heading into the final stages. 

The Jordan Rally concludes on Saturday with several decisive special stages still to come, as Qatari drivers aim to maintain their strong challenge for podium finishes across the championship categories. (QNA)