Jordan Rally set for girl power

AMMAN — While most of the headlines building up to next week’s Jordan Rally will no doubt focus on Nasser Al Attiyah’s bid to win the Middle East Rally Championship, there’s a number of female participants hoping to make some news of their own, according to the Jordan Rally Media Service.

The Qatari needs just two points to clinch his 11th regional crown in 13 years, but away from the chase at the top are four ladies hoping to prove a point that rallying is a sport for all.

Drivers Lina Hadidi and Edith Wisse and co-drivers Nancy Majali and Marina Habaybeh are among a strong field of competitors who will take on the three-day event that gets under way at 2:30pm from Abdoun Circle on October 15 with an afternoon of spectator friendly events, followed by two days of dramatic action in the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley areas.

Hadidi has been receiving some strong advice from her mother who is a well-known face on the Middle East motorsport circuit.

“My mother — Abir Batikhi [former driver] — has been a strong supporter of mine,” said Hadidi, who is a medical student. “She has really encouraged me and helped me to prepare for my first Middle East Rally Championship event. I also have a very experienced co-driver in Barkev Shadian so I hope to do well and make an impact at the Jordan Rally.”

Meanwhile, Habaybeh will be co-driving for her father Raed Habaybeh to provide a strong family flavour in Group S.

“My father has built the car and we have prepared ourselves well,” she said. “I started co-driving for him last year and we have done a few events now. Doing a Middle East rally though is a big step up for me in my career, but I am looking forward to it.”

Also co-driving, the experienced Majali will be reading the notes for Jordan favourite Husam Salem for the fourth time at the Jordan Rally.

Majali made a name for herself initially as a driver after her debut in 2000, but is content to be playing a support role to Salem.

“This will be my 14th Jordan Rally as a whole and Husam is also experienced so we are hoping for a good result,” she said. 

“We finished sixth overall last year and second among Jordanians but we continue to push ourselves to improve our results.”