The UAE's Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi and Ulster co-driver Michael Orr clinched a comfortable victory in the 2010 Kuwait International Rally, round two of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), Saturday. At the wheel of his new Autotek-supported Ford Fiesta S2000, Al-Qassimi gradually extended his 7.7s overnight lead over the second day's seven desert special stages to record his seventh regional championship rally victory by the margin of 49 seconds. It was his first win in Kuwait. The feat moved the Emirati into a joint lead with Qatar's Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Sheikh Hamed Bin Eid Al-Thani in the 2010 FIA Middle East Rally Championship and enabled Al-Qassimi to tie Roger Feghali's seven regional rally wins, making Al-Qassimi the joint fourth most successful driver in the history of the MERC. Rashid Al-Ketbi and Khaled Al-Kendi were unable to match Al-Qassimi and Orr in their Skoda Fabia S2000, but the UAE crew had the consolation of second position and eight crucial championship points, a blocked air filter not helping their cause in the choking dusty conditions. Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rajhi and French co-driver Matthieu Baumel began the day in fifth position with their Kronos Peugeot 207 S2000. Al-Rajhi was in flying form and impressive stage times saw him overall Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi and Khalid Al-Suwaidi to move into third position. But the Saudi suffered engine problems on the penultimate stage and Al-Suwaidi and British co-driver Nick Beech finished fourth overall in their converted Autotek recce car. The UAE's Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi and British co-driver Steve Lancaster were fourth.
