Feghali claimed the title after a final face-off with rival Abdulaziz Turki Al-Faisal (KSA) on an 800-meter, custom-built track, which saw sixteen star drivers taking turns in staking their claim for the big win.
The event was organized with the backing of HH Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd Bin Abdullah Al Saud, chairman of the Eastern Province Tourism Development Council, and HRH Prince Sultan Bin Bandar Al Faisal, President of the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation (SAMF), in partnership with Chevrolet, Actionha, STC and Nokia.
The Red Bull Ras B Ras showdown was hailed as one of the most exciting, adrenaline-pumping sporting events, gathering thousands of motoring enthusiasts packing the Al-Khobar Corniche. Bringing together sixteen of the top Arab drivers in the Middle East, the event saw spectators holding their breath as cars thundered by at breakneck speeds and as drivers tested the limits of their tires. All kept a close watch on the scores and the battles, which ended with the crowning of Feghali in an unprecedented feat in Arab motorsports.
Feghali overtook rival Al-Faisal in the final confrontation, which sealed his win. On his road to victory, Feghali successfully eliminated many an A-list name, including Tamer Bashat (Egypt) and Abdulaziz Al Kuwari (Qatar).
“Through this unprecedented racing competition in the region, we hope we managed to offer motorsports fans an innovative competition filled with adrenaline,” said Alberto Chahoud, Regional Communications Manager for Red Bull. Chahoud praised the backing provided by Saudi Authorities and the support of SAMF. “Acknowledgment is due to the efforts of Saudi and regional media for having brought this outstanding race closer to the youth across the Middle East,” he added.
The final battle emulated a World Cup finale with Roger Feghali and Abdulaziz Turki Al-Faisal facing off in a show of Arab brotherhood, highlighting the keen sportsmanship of contenders. The rat-race ended with a tiny time difference, whereby Feghali managed to end the race with just 1.36.061 minute with a one-second difference over Al-Faisal.
Event organizer, Red Bull, placed all its resources at the disposal of the participants in a bid to ensure a successful competition, and to promote motorsports in the region. Red Bull Ras B Ras featured such big names in motoring as Saeed Al Mouri, Majed Ghamdi, Mazen Tantash, Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, Tamer Bashat, Mohammed Al Moutawaa, Fahad Al-Musalam and Joe Ghanem.
Knockout elimination started early on, in the first rounds of the standoffs, where contenders were pitted against each other across eight separate groups. Feghali and Al-Faisal then went on to the quarterfinals as part of the fastest eight drivers.
Red Bull champion Abdo Feghali, aka Dado, who was a main pillar in the event’s organization, gave spectators one of his highly popular drifting shows which set the grandstand ablaze and kept spectators gasping for more. The event’s video production was directed by motoring and automotive expert Nadim Mehanna, while Saudi Sports 3 aired the competition live.
Victorious Feghali expressed his delight in winning Red Bull Ras B Ras, the first such event in the Middle East. Runner-up Al-Faisal affirmed that the battles were heated and that being one of the last two men standing was an achievement in itself, as the title was given to a worthy name in competition’ he said.