Among the participants in the front-wheel drive category at the 36th Rally of Lebanon – the fourth round of the 2013 Middle East Rally Championship – is Robert Aaraj, who’ll be contesting the rally for the third time in a row on a Renault Clio Maxi Evo, in a bid to verify the following saying: “The third time’s the charm”, by winning the category.
Robert’s first appearance in the international event was back in 2011, but he was forced to retire from the FWD class lead on the third special stage due to an electrical problem on his Clio Maxi. It was the same scenario in 2012; Robert had tyre issues on the third special stage, and then picked up a puncture on Sunday’s Kefraya stage, but despite all of that, crossed the finish line second in the FWD class, to clinch the FWD runner-up spot in the Lebanese Rally Championship and take the category title in the Lebanese Hill Climb Championship.
This year, he’s won the FWD class at the Cedars and Spring Rallies, and finished second to returnee Henry Massaad at the Summer Rally; Robert currently holds a comfortable lead in the FWD championship standings, and is fifth overall.
Robert says: “I think I managed to win the Lebanese Rally and Hill Climb Championships in the FWD category. I wished Ghassan Khoury would take part in the 36th Rally of Lebanon, it would’ve been the most difficult battle in the FWD class because we both have targets to achieve: I want to win the rally, regardless of the championship title which I already have, and he wants to prove that his new car is good and that he’s able to win as well.”
With Khoury’s absence, Hicham Al Abiad, who’s on a new car for Rally of Lebanon after his Summer Rally and Cedars Rally misfortunes, will be Robert’s biggest rival, and in that regard, Robert said: “Everyone knows that Hicham is one the fastest drivers in the front-wheel drive class and is a former champion.”
And in Class 5, in which Robert and Hicham are competing, other names will make an appearance: Walid Chlink (Renault Clio Sport R3), Joe Azzi (Renault Clio), Charbel Khalife (Renault Clio RS) and Ziad Melhem (Peugeot 306 S16); Class 8, meanwhile, includes: Bechara Bechir (Renault Clio RS), Nadim Halabi (Renault Clio Sport) and Laurent Baz (Peugeot 206 RS).
Robert hopes to win the category without taking too much risk, and at the same time, while showing his speed to the spectators by catching the Mitsubishi Evos at the special stages after proving his car’s capabilities during the 2013 Cedars Rally.
And of the car’s preparations, he said: “TG Rally Skills will supervise my car, and they will try as hard as they can to help me win the rally this year. I would like to thank Tony [Germany] for his technical help and for the experience that he’s been giving me prior to the rally. And a lot of thanks to my sponsors Synionic and Kidzmondo who have been with me on 7 occasions this year and who have helped me win the Lebanese Rally and Hill Climb Championship titles.”