FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem Meets Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Discuss Shared Motorsport Priorities
Rallying legend honoured by two Lebanese Presidents says Rally of Lebanon has key role in plans to ensure long-term future of FIA Middle East Rally Championship
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, met with Lebanese President His Excellency Joseph Aoun today after attending the Rally of Lebanon, an event he won four times in a distinguished rally driving career which established him as a sporting ambassador for the Arab world.
The meeting at Baabda Palace provided an opportunity to reflect on the continued success of the event, and Lebanon’s position as a rallying stronghold in the Middle East.
Ben Sulayem accepted an official invitation from the Automobile and Touring Club of Lebanon and President Nabil ‘Billy’ Karam to attend the 48th Rally of Lebanon. The fourth round of this year’s FIA Middle East Rally Championship reached its finish at the ATCL in Kaslik, Jounieh last night (Sunday) with victory going to Lebanon’s Roger Feghali and co-driver Joseph Matar.
“I was pleased to meet with President Aoun and discuss our shared priorities for the future of motorsport,” said FIA President Ben Sulayem. “The Rally of Lebanon provided me with many great memories during my rally driving career, and I’m thrilled to once again experience the excitement this event creates for competitors and the country’s passionate motor sport fans.”
“The event has a rich history embedded in the origins of Middle East motorsport. It is firmly established as the home for asphalt rallying in the region, and plays a key role in our plans to ensure the long-term future of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship.
“Lebanon has always felt like a special place for me, and I want to thank the ATCL and its President, Nabil Karam, for their warm welcome and hospitality. I’m delighted to have met up again with some of the friends I have made at the club, and across the country over the years.”
Ben Sulayem’s legendary rally-driving achievements brought him widespread recognition, and he was awarded the President’s Cup by Lebanese President Amine Gemayel in 1987, and the Medal of Honour from Lebanese President Emile Lahoud in 1999.
Each of his four victories in the Rally of Lebanon, in 1987, 1991, 1998 and 1999, helped him secure the FIA Middle East Rally Championship title, which he won 14 times overall. He achieved the last three of those victories alongside his long-time co-driver Ronan Morgan.
Beyond his success in Middle East rallying, Ben Sulayem recorded his first overseas win in Turkey in 1991, and secured World Rally Championship Group N victories in Spain and Argentina over the following two years. He retired from competitive rallying in 2002.
In July, the FIA announced a landmark long-term commercial rights agreement for the FIA WRC and FIA European Rally Championship, following the acquisition of WRC Promoter GmbH by Cosmobilis and Park Square Capital. Designed to bring significant new investment into the sport, the biggest deal in the history of these championships supported the FIA’s vision under President Ben Sulayem, who said at the time: “Rallying is a huge part of my personal story. It has shaped who I am and how I work, and I am deeply committed to its future.”
ENDS
About the FIA
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is the governing body for world motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations globally. It is a non-profit organisation committed to driving innovation and championing safety, sustainability and equality across motor sport and mobility.
Founded in 1904, with offices in Paris, London and Geneva, the FIA brings together 246 Member Organisations across five continents, representing millions of road users, motor sport professionals and volunteers. It develops and enforces regulations for motor sport, including seven FIA World Championships, to ensure worldwide competitions are safe and fair for all.
