Saudi Arabian driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi and French co-driver Matthieu Baumel extended their overall lead to 53.9 seconds after a further six timed special stages of the Sharqia Rally, round four of the 2010 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) Wednesday. “It was a case of driving quickly without making mistakes today and I am delighted with the position,” said Al-Rajhi, who is bidding to win his third MERC rally and his second Sharqia title. Qatar's Misfer Al-Marri and Italian co-driver Nicola Arena were the Saudi's closest challengers in a Subaru Impreza, once Emirati stage two leaders, Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi and Wael Marjan, had lost three minutes dealing with overheating issues and a loose bonnet that damaged their Ford Fiesta S2000's windscreen. Al-Qassimi held a provisional fourth place behind Qatar's Jaber Al-Marri before final day one tracking checks were carried out back at rally headquarters. Saudi drivers Abduali Saleh and Saeed Al-Mouri held excellent fifth and sixth places. Twenty-two of the original 23 starters (Kuwait's Meshari Al-Sabti was a non-starter) tackled the 35.6km of the second Azabnah stage and Al-Qassimi surged into the outright lead by 26.2s. The Emirati had laid down the gauntlet and left overnight leader Al-Rajhi - who confirmed that this is his last MERC event before he begins a program of WRC and IRC events - and Misfer Al-Marri trailing in his wake. Saudi's Ahmed Al-Sabban stopped for several minutes in the stage, Qatar's Sheikh Hamed Bin Eid Al-Thani suffered gearbox woes and lost over four minutes and Jaber Al-Marri reportedly missed a vital junction on the route. Youngster Abduali Saleh held a fine seventh in the ex-Yazeed Al-Rajhi Subaru, the Saudi benefiting from Al-Rajhi's support for his entry into rallying to set the sixth fastest time. Palestinian driver Rami Jaber Daoud retired with a broken axle, after Khaled Kadoura, the president of the Palestine Motor Sport Federation had stood in for his absent co-driver Fares Alouh at the 11th hour. Kuwait's Farouk Ghurab was also sidelined after a Mitsubishi engine fire. Thursday crews will tackle the remaining six special stages of Saudi Arabia's first ever round of the regional rally series, which is being held under the patronage of Prince Mohamed Bin Fahd Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Governor of the Eastern Province and the Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Sharqia Rally. __
