Delecour pays a visit to Lebanon.

Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart works driver Francois Delecour and Team Manager Derek Dauncey took time out from their busy Safari Rally schedule to visit the capital of Lebanon, Beirut, to view preparations for the 26th Marlboro Rally of Lebanon.

Delecour and Dauncey spent a day touring the region, meeting the organisers of the event, the Automobile and Touring Club of Lebanon (ATCL), viewing stages and experiencing the legendary Lebanese hospitality.

The day began with a visit to Jbeil (Byblos), reportedly the oldest city in the world and the origin of the modern alphabet. There, Delecour posed for photographs before taking a short boat trip to view the ancient city from the ocean. Delecour and Dauncey were then treated to an aerial view of the city from the Telepherique, the cable-car rising to almost 1000m above the coastline.

Having returned to sea level, Delecour and Dauncey took lunch with the organisers, who showed them around the rally headquarters approximately 30Km from the centre of Beirut, in a stunning beach-front marina location. Delecour also met with Mr Jack Salha, the president of the ATCL, who explained the work that was going into the rally, which is a candidate event for the FIA World Rally Championship.

After lunch, Delecour visited some of the stages which form the event, swapping his usual company car, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution WRC for a road-going Mitsubishi Lancer EvoVII loaned to him by the Lebanese Mitsubishi importer. Dauncey was also shown stages by the organisers, along with the event's superspecial stage and service park arrangements.

The day finished with a dinner attended by Delecour, Dauncey and members of the organising committee.

Commenting on his first visit to Lebanon, Delecour said; "I understand that this rally has a very good reputation and is also one of the most important events in the Middle East Championship. I visited some of the stages and found them to be extremely technical. There are many surface, and characteristic, changes, with smooth asphalt and flowing roads becoming very bumpy and twisty. And this is what makes the event so very spectacular. For sure, it will be very challenging and it will not be an easy event for the competitors."

The 26th Marlboro Rally of Lebanon takes place between 5-7 July and is based in Beirut. 57 competitors from 14 countries will take part, including six World Rally Cars.