The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s most intriguing rallies on an opening day of high drama which brought vastly contrasting fortunes for some of the sport’s biggest names, while two local heroes stepped into the spotlight.

Defending champion Nasser Al Attiyah, who set off in search of his third cars triumph in the event, was soon returning to the start after damaging the front right wheel of his Toyota Hilux, with his victory hopes ruined.

As Al Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel toiled to make repairs, seven-times winner Stephane Peterhansel and nine-times World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb fought for the lead, and a classic battle was building between the two rallying legends.

That ended when Loeb’s Prodrive Hunter was halted for almost 90 minutes by a broken drive shaft before resuming, leaving Peterhansel and Edouard Boulanger with breathing space in their Audi RS Q e-tron.

They finished with a 9 mins 30 secs advantage over Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi in a Toyota Hilux, with Czech driver Martin Prokop, the 2018 champion, 14 mins 59 secs off the lead in third in a Ford Raptor.

Poland’s Jakub Przygonski had been comfortably holding a top three spot before his Mini John Cooper Works Buggy lost time when it became stuck in the dunes, dropping him to fourth. Mathieu Serradori in a Century CR6 and Stephane Schott in another Mini buggy completed the top six.

The 31st Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is brimming also with the world’s top factory team riders, but they could not subdue Dubai resident and privateer Michael Docherty, who produced a brilliant performance as he swept into the outright lead on his Rally 2 Husqvarna.

After winning the previous day’s qualifier, Docherty was fastest again for a good chunk of today’s leg as he battled with double bikes champion in Abu Dhabi, Sam Sunderland, the World Rally-Raid series leader and eventual stage winner.

The South African-born rider ultimately recorded the fourth fastest time after “a few tumbles”, but ended the day with a 23 secs overall advantage over defending champion Matthias Walkner, followed by Argentinian star Kevin Benavides (+37) and Sunderland (+58).

Emirati rider Abdulaziz Ahli covered himself in glory by winning the quads crown at last year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. He was out on his own again today as he began the defence of his title by dominating the category, winning the stage by more than 53 mins from Slovakia’s Juraj Varga, on another Yamaha Raptor.

It was back in 1996 that Peterhansel scored his first win in the rally on a bike, and he recorded his most recent triumph with wife Andrea as co-driver in 2019. Reaching the finish today he said: “It is great to be back in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge after so many times. I cannot remember the exact number. The rally is always challenging with the dunes, soft sand and the required navigation. This car is running well and no modifications were required following the Dakar Rally.”

Docherty commented: “It has been a good start, despite talking a few tumbles. This is my 2nd ADDC and my experience is increasing all the time. I practice a lot around Fossil Rock here in the UAE. I need to improve my navigation skills, so tomorrow and the rest of the rally will be interesting.”

Quads leader Ahli said: “I was going fast at the beginning because I started first. My strategy was to make as much a gap as I could from my rivals. Tomorrow will be the toughest stage because it is the longest”.

The Ruler’s Representative Court in Al Dhafra Region Stage marked the start of a new chapter for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, as the second round of the inaugural World Rally-Raid Championship.

The new series has unified FIA and FIM cross country rallying, and there was some extra anticipation as the cars, trucks, bikes and quads left Yas Marina Circuit for the first of five competitive sections in the Al Dhafra region.

Each of the competitive sections are centred on the bivouac near Qasr Al Sarab, where technicians were soon at work, fixing and preparing rally machinery for the next day’s action in the Empty Quarter.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region.

The rally’s strategic partners are the Ruler’s Representative Court Al Dhafra Region, the Ministry of Defence, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, ADNOC Distribution, Al-Futtaim Toyota, Abu Dhabi Police, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Aviation, National Ambulance, Abu Dhabi Municipality, Abu Dhabi Distribution Co., Al Dhafra Region Municipality, Al-Ain Water, Abu Dhabi Sports TV, Civil Defence and the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center.

Monster Energy Honda Team got the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge underway today – the second round of the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship. With the shakedown and the administrative and technical checks out of the way, today was the turn of the curtain-raising prologue.

A short two-kilometre prologue, without many technical complications, held close to the Yas Marina circuit, served to determine the starting order for tomorrow’s first full stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. With minimal differences in finish times, a conversion rate (x8) was used to lengthen the gaps for tomorrow’s race-start.

The top finishers were able to choose the starting order for Sunday’s first stage, which will take the competitors from Yas Marina into the Liwa Desert, south of the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Well-aware of the importance of starting as far back in the starting order as possible, the trio of Monster Energy Honda Team riders refrained from their usual frenetic pace over today’s short special stage. Nacho Cornejo will start from 18th place, Ricky Brabec from 21st place and Pablo Quintanilla from 28th place. The team is confident that starting from the rear will help them gain time on the riders setting off ahead.

Pablo Quintanilla 7 - PLACE: 28TH PROVISIONAL: 28TH - We finished a short prologue, two kilometres long. We opted for a strategy that would allow us to start from the rear in tomorrow's stage and try not to lose any unnecessary time. I think it went well. I'm pleased.

José Ignacio Cornejo 11 - PLACE: 18TH PROVISIONAL: 18TH - We finished the prologue, which for this race was important to start from the back in the first stage. So I think the strategy we had worked well. We are ready to face a week with a lot of sand and a lot of dunes. We are ready for tomorrow!

Ricky Brabec 2 - PLACE: 21ST PROVISIONAL: 21ST -We are back in Abu Dhabi. This is my first rally in 2022. It's great to be back and I'm super excited about how the prologue went. It was a good result today. I'm looking forward to tomorrow with the first stage. Let's have fun in the dunes!

Ruben Faria - General Manager - We are happy to be back in Abu Dhabi. I like this rally; as a rider I used to really enjoy racing here and as a manager I find it a great race. It's the second race of the world championship and we are in a very good position, first among the bike manufacturers and second in the individual table with Pablo, Nacho is sixth and Ricky seventh. Today was the first day of action with a very short prologue that defined the starting order for tomorrow. We used a strategy of starting behind to try to gain time in stage one. The team is fine, with the bikes in perfect condition. We need Joan to have the whole team, but he isn’t quite at 100% yet.

Source Monster Energy Honda Team

Well-rested after the demanding 2022 Dakar Rally and highly motivated to return to competitive action, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing are fired up and once again focused on success as they ready themselves for the second round of the 2022 FIM Rally-Raid World Championship, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

Coming just seven weeks after the world’s toughest race served up two weeks of arduous racing in Saudi Arabia at the start of January, Matthias Walkner, Kevin Benavides, and Toby Price are all fit, healthy, and ready to race at the ADDC. Faced with one short prologue this coming Saturday, all riders will then battle their way through five short but challenging sandy stages.

Third in the 2022 FIM Rally-Raid World Championship standings following his podium finish at the Dakar Rally, defending world champion Matthias Walkner enters the ADDC in high spirits following several weeks of post-Dakar recovery. Very much a fan of the sandy Abu Dhabi terrain and having enjoyed positive results at the ADDC in previous years, Walkner is focused on success and a solid haul of world championship points.

Matthias Walkner: “The Abu Dhabi rally is always a super-nice event, and I’m really looking forward to racing it this year and getting back into competition again after Dakar. I think that like a lot of riders I took some time off the bike after Dakar, so apart from a few days training before the race this rally will be my first time back on a bike. This event has been good for me before, so I am hoping to get another good result. Importantly, as the second round of the world championship, I want to get the most points I can.”

Kevin Benavides, like teammate Walkner, comes into the 2022 ADDC well-rested and highly motivated. Frustratingly denied the Dakar result he deserved, Kevin will participate in the ADDC determined to show exactly what he is capable of on the unique, sandy terrain. Clocking up day-after-day of fast and consistent performances throughout January’s Dakar Rally, Kevin will look to carry his impressive speed into the ADDC and challenge for the top of the podium.

Kevin Benavides: “I’m really motivated for this year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. After the Dakar I took a break, took some time off the bike to recharge my batteries a little, and now I’m really looking forward to getting back to competition. The terrain here is very special, and, well, like always I will give my best. The competition will be very strong, but I am just focused on doing my best and pushing hard to get the best result I can.”

Competing alongside Matthias Walkner and Kevin Benavides, Toby Price will complete the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing trio competing in the ADDC as the veteran Australian competitor looks to carry the speed that took him to a stage win at the Dakar into round two of the world championship. The experienced 34-year-old missed the delayed 2021 event, but plans to attack this year’s race and hopefully repeat the performance that took him to the win at the 2016 edition of the demanding rally.

Toby Price: “It’s been a little while since I’ve been here to the Desert Challenge so I’m looking forward to it. It’s always a challenging rally because of the sandy terrain and the unpredictable nature of some parts of the course, so you always have to be a little cautious and take your time with everything. But it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to taking. Obviously, as the second round of the world championship it’s an important race, so I’m looking to try and pick up a solid result and build some good momentum in the championship.”

The 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge starts on Saturday, March 5 with the event’s short prologue, before five full stages will take the event to its conclusion on Thursday, March 10.

Source KTM Racing

Sebastien Loeb is looking for victory on his debut in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (ADDC) which starts this weekend 5 March. Following the Dakar in January, the nine-times World Rally Champion lies second in the 2022 World Rally-Raid Championship (WRRC) just one point behind Nasser Al Attiyah, and a win would give him the lead with three rounds of the new series remaining.

Bahrain Raid Xtreme (BRX) believes it can win the ADDC following the strong performance of the Prodrive Hunter in the Dakar, where the car won three stages, with Loeb winning two and securing another three second places. The Hunter performed particularly well in the dunes of the Saudi Arabian desert and after the start from the Yas Marina Circuit, the event heads into the dunes of the Al Dhafra region, covering nearly 2000km over five days.

Loeb said: “We showed that the Hunter had the pace at the Dakar to win and if we had had a trouble-free event, I think it would have been even closer between us and Nasser at the end. The car was good in the dunes and with the Desert Challenge almost entirely run over similar terrain, I think we should be fighting for a win.”

Following the Dakar, Loeb’s Hunter has been fully rebuilt at the team’s base at the Bahrain International Circuit. As at the Dakar, the Prodrive Hunter will be fuelled by Prodrive EcoPower, which is a sustainable gasoline replacement made from agricultural waste, reducing its overall CO2 emissions by 80% compared to petrol. Three Prodrive Hunters ran faultlessly over a combined distance of more than 25,000km at the Dakar in January running on the fuel, reducing their CO2 emissions by more than 28 tonnes. The team is aiming to show that such fuels can not only directly replace petrol in motorsport series, but also in all road transport applications and so help fight climate change.

With the team’s focus on winning the 2022 WRRC drivers’ title, BRX is putting all its resources behind Loeb who is in contention. As a result, BRX factory driver, Nani Roma, will not be competing at the ADDC, but remains part of the team.

Source BRX

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is the second round of the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship, following the Dakar Rally. Monster Energy Honda Team, the current competition leaders, will seek to bolster their top position in the championship with a win.
This coming Saturday the start of round two of the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship – the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – will feature the presence of the Monster Energy Honda Team.
Seven weeks after finishing the Dakar Rally, the riders at the head of the overall world championship table will be back in action. This is the second of five scheduled events this season.
The Monster Energy Honda Team participants lining up for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge are American Ricky Brabec, alongside Chilean riders Pablo Quintanilla and José Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Cornejo. All look set to be in contention for the victory after displaying their abilities earlier in January. Joan Barreda will sit out the race while he continues to convalesce after injuries sustained during the most recent Dakar Rally. Pablo Quintanilla currently holds second place in the overall world championship standings, while Barreda lies in fifth, Cornejo sixth and Brabec seventh.
The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge gets underway on Friday, March 4 with the administrative and technical scrutineering. A prologue or ‘Super Special Stage’ of less than three kilometres will be held on Saturday 5 in the vicinity of the Yas Marina circuit. The most decisive stages, which will play out in the vast Liwa desert, will commence on Sunday 6 with the first timed special stage. The rally will feature a marathon stage over stages 2 and 3, where the bikes will be left in a parc fermé at the Qsar Al Sarab bivouac, during which period they will be unable to receive any outside mechanical assistance. The race wraps up on Thursday, March 10, once again at the Yas Marina circuit after a total 1945-kilometre trek which will include 1344 kilometres of timed special stages.

Ruben Faria - General Manager: "We are ready for the second race of the world championship. It's not too hot, which will be good for the riders and the team in general. We did a small shakedown and everything went well. We are here with three riders: Pablo, Nacho and Ricky, while Joan is still recovering from the Dakar and is still not 100%. Pablo had a crash a few days ago, but he will be fine to race here. This race will depend a lot on the result of the prologue, which will be a short special stage about two kilometres long, and it should be a key factor for the start of the first stage: the first fifteen riders will be able to choose the starting order. I think there should be a good race between the factory teams. The team is good, happy and working hard towards it. We will take the race one day at a time. We want to stay ahead in the manufacturers’ table and we would like to see Pablo in a position to fight for the title."

Source: Monster Energy Honda Team

Here you can find the official entry lists for the 2022 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, which will be part of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, and the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies. The competitors driving will be racing cars and trucks complying with FIA T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 technical regulations, and motorcycles and quads running under the auspices of the FIM.

Press the following links.  You will load a PDF file.   If you prefer, please visit https://abudhabidesertchallenge.com/official-entry-list/

>> FIM - MOTOS

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>> TRUCKS

 The Emirates Motorsports Organization (EMSO) has announced an entry list packed with the world’s top drivers and riders for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, which adds another illustrious chapter to its long running success story next week.

A powerful line-up of 132 competitors from across the globe will gather in the UAE capital for the second round of the new World Rally-Raid Championship, which starts from Yas Marina Circuit on 6th March.

Defending champion Nasser Al Attiyah, early leader in the race to become the first World Rally-Raid champion, is the top seeded driver in a Toyota Hilux as the UAE’s dramatic desert rally becomes one of five elite events making up the series.

Among his biggest rivals in the 38-car assembly is Sebastien Loeb, winner of a record nine World Rally Championship titles, who makes his Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge debut in the Prodrive Hunter which he took to second place behind the Qatari in the opening round, the Dakar Rally.

Stephane Peterhansel chases a record seventh cars victory at the wheel of an Audi RS Q e-tron in the 31st edition of the rally, which promises an action-packed five days of desert rally raid competition at its best among the majestic dunes of the Al Dhafra Region.

“We’re excited to be welcoming the World Rally-Raid Championship to the UAE for the first time,” said Khalid Bin Sulayem, the EMSO’s newly-elected President. “This marks the start of a new era for cross country rallying, and we look forward to building a strong future for the sport.”

Other leading contenders include Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi at the wheel of a Toyota, Poland’s Jakub Przygonski in a MINI, Frenchman Mathieu Serradori in a CenturyCR6 and Argentina’s Sebastian Halpern in another Toyota.

The host country’s Yahya Al Helei earns a top ten seeding in his Nissan Pick Up as he extends his remarkable 100% appearance record in his home event. Another Emirati driver, Khalid Aljafla, will be in action in the T3 category in an EVO 3.

The rally’s honours list over four decades is brimming with world bikes champions, including last year’s winner, Austrian star Matthias Walkner who returns to the UAE to defend the title he captured on his KTM in November.

No rider knows the demanding desert landscape of the Al Dhafra region better than Sam Sunderland, who leads the world championship standings and sets off in pursuit of a third victory in the event. In January he made history by clinching a first Dakar win for Gas Gas Factory Racing Team.

Two other previous winners in Abu Dhabi, Australian Toby Price on a KTM and Chile’s Honda rider Pablo Quintanilla, return in search of second victories. Argentinian Kevin Benavides on a KTM and brother Luciano riding a Husqvarna will also be in the mix.

The host country’s best hopes of a victory could lie with Abdulaziz Ahli who defends the quads crown he won so impressively in last year’s event.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region.

The rally’s strategic partners are the Ruler’s Representative Court Al Dhafra Region, the UAE Armed Forces, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, ADNOC Distribution, Al-Futtaim Toyota, Abu Dhabi Police, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Aviation, National Ambulance, Abu Dhabi Municipality, Abu Dhabi Distribution Co., Al Dhafra Region Municipality, Al-Ain Water, Abu Dhabi Sports TV, Civil Defence and the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center.

In recent years, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has become an important platform for lightweight rally cars, which form such a big part of the championship. This year sees a 16-vehicle entry of T3 prototypes headed by the CAN-AM Maverick X3 of Chilean Francisco Lopez Contardo and the Overdrive OT3s of Spain’s Cristina Gutierrez and American Seth Quintero.

A competitive T4 category also welcomes the current top three in the World Rally-Raid standings, with American Austin Jones, Lithuania’s Rokas Baciuska and Polish driver Marek Goczal all entering Can-Am Mavericks.

The four-wheel contingent is completed by the mighty trucks, traditionally the backbone for cross country rally teams as fully-equipped support vehicles, and now with their own T5 race category.

The Czech Republic trio of Martin Macik, Tomasek Frantisek and David Svanda aim to increase their series lead over Dutchmen Kees Koolen, Wouter De Graaff and Gijsbert Van Uden, both teams driving an Ivec Powerstar.

Source ADDC

Baja start and finish to be based at Losail International Circuit

Entries continue to flood in for the Qatar International Baja, the second round of the FIM Bajas World Cup and round two of the FIA Middle East Cup for Cross-Country Bajas.
Organised by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation, the three-day spectacle takes place on March 24th-26th. Officials have also confirmed that the event will be based out of the Losail International Circuit, north of Doha.
Several competitors tackling both championships have already been in action this season at the Jordan Baja two weeks’ ago and over 40 local competitors were again in action at last weekend’s opening round of the Qatar Off-Road Championship (QORC).
Mohammed Al-Balooshi sealed a third successive victory in the Hashemite Kingdom in the motorcycle section and the Emirati holds an advantage of five points over Jordan’s Abdullah Abu Aishah in the FIM Bajas World Cup. Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Shatti (16 points), Qatar-based Australian Martin Chalmers (13 points) and Ziv Karmi (11 points) round off the top five.
Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed Al-Thani and Abdulrahman Al-Sheeb are classified in 13th and 14th positions and have scored three and two points, respectively.
Zaid Jaber was the sole points scorer in the FIM Junior category at the Jordan Baja. Shai Shapiri (25 points) tops the FIM Veterans’ category from Gad Nachmann (20 points), Barak Dudai (16 points) and Sheikh Mohammed Al-Thani (13 points).
Saudi Arabian riders dominate the quad category after the opening FIM round, with Abdulmajeed Al-Khulaifi amassing 25 points from his comfortable win in the south of Jordan. Nearest rivals, Hani Al-Noumesi and Saif Al-Zyoud, have 20 and 16 points, respectively, with Faisal Al-Suwayh in fourth on 13 points.
Roy Bartov (25 points) holds a five-point advantage over Tal Galmidi in the SSV section. Alona Ben Natan (25 points) leads the FIM Women’s section from Yael Kadshai.
Al-Balooshi, Al-Shatti and Al-Sheeb and Chalmers were just four of an impressive number of riders to tackle the National Baja last Saturday, with the latter claiming his first win. They will be hoping to use that invaluable experience of the Qatar desert terrain to help them prepare for the international event in a little over three weeks’ time
Seventeen-year-old female Emirati racer Aliyyah Koloc is the early pace-setter in the FIA Middle East Cup for Cross-Country Rallies Drivers’ Championship. The Can-Am pilot was the first registered driver to cross the finish line in Jordan in fifth place and has 40 points.
Saudi Arabia’s Hamad Al-Harbi holds second (33 points) and Muneef Al-Salmani (25 points) and Aliyyah’s twin sister Yasmeen (21 points) round off the top four before Qatar. Aliyyah Koloc also leads the T3 section from Al-Harbi and her sister.
Action in the 2022 Qatar International Baja gets underway with a 10km Qualifying Stage on Thursday morning (March 24th). Competitors in the FIA category will compete over 459.30 competitive kilometres in a route of 846.62km. The event will also act as the third and fourth rounds of the QORC series.
Virginia Gomez will act as the Clerk of the Course of the FIM event, working under Baja Director Pedro Almeida and Assistant Director Rashid Al-Sulaiti. Riders will tackle 508.74 competitive kilometres in a route of 1,042.80km.

The 2022 Baja will again be held under the chairmanship of QMMF President Abdulrahman Al-Mannai, QMMF’s Executive Director Amro Al-Hamad and board member Abdulrazaq Al-Kuwari.

For further event information, competitors and teams can contact Davy Patterson, the Competitor Liaison Officer (CRO), Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and WhatsApp: +44 7980 613944.

Entries close on Monday, March 14th.

Source QMMF

Six weeks after the finish of the Dakar Rally, the historic first round of the unified FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championships, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is preparing to host the second round of the 2022 calendar and to enter the new W2RC era.
The 31st edition of the Abu Dhabi event is a new departure while continuing a long tradition: the Emirates round is the oldest and most loyal FIA and FIM world series event in history.
All the contenders for the W2RC titles will be present from 5 to 10 March 2022: the creme de la creme of the rally-raid world will battle, with the duel between Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota Gazoo Racing) and Sébastien Loeb (Bahrain Raid Extreme) in the car category, as well as the battle pitting Sam Sunderland (GasGas) against his rivals at Honda rivals in the motorcycle category. "Chaleco" López (South Racing Can-Am) in the Light-Prototypes, Austin Jones in SSV and Martin Macik in the trucks also took the lead on the Dakar and will have to keep their pursuers at bay to aim for the titles.

ABU DHABI: QUITE A HISTORY

The calendar of the new W2RC is from the outset established between innovation and tradition thanks to its first two symbolic events. In January, it was the Dakar itself that integrated and unified the FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championships for the first time in history. In March, it will be the event that holds the longevity record within the world series of the discipline that will enter the scene.
For both the car and bike categories, Abu Dhabi is a cornerstone of both of their historic calendars. In 2021, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge celebrated its 30th anniversary. This event, which has become a must-attend, features several former winners among the favourites for W2RC honours. First and foremost is Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota Gazoo Racing), who has won three times in Abu Dhabi (2008, 2016 and 2021). Vladimir Vasilyev (VRT Team) won the World Cup in 2014 and is a two-time winner of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (2014-15). Nani Roma (Bahrain Raid Xtreme) took top honours in 2013. We then have to go back to 2009 to find the trace of Guerlain Chicherit’s last victory (GCK Motorsport).
In the motorbike category, four riders have won the last five editions: Sam Sunderland (2017-19), Matthias Walkner (2021), Toby Price (2016), and Pablo Quintanilla (2018).

CARS: AL-ATTIYAH, THE POINT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

In the FIA W2RC general classifications, the battles are already on the boil. At the top of the rankings, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel have already made their mark. Leaders with 85 points, the duo has enjoyed the support of Yazeed Al-Rajhi, third on the Dakar and in the provisional classification (51 points), to allow Toyota Gazoo Racing to accumulate 80 points in the Constructors' classification. A small lead that the Bahrain Raid Xtreme and X-Raid Mini JCW teams, tied on 45 points, will try to narrow as soon as possible. BRX is back this year with Sébastien Loeb. Second on the Dakar, the French and Fabian Lurquin are only 1 point behind Al-Attiyah (84 points), thanks to their daily performances in Saudi Arabia.
Denis Krotov, at the wheel of the X-Raid Mini JCW buggy will aim at a new podium in Abu Dhabi like his teammate, the Polish Jakub Przygonski who had fought for a long time at the second place during the last edition. Another loner could threaten "Kuba": in 5th position with 33 points, Mathieu Serradori (SRT Racing) is only three lengths behind. The Argentine Sébastian Halpern, who will drive for the first time in a Toyota Hilux, will try to do better than his 5th place achieved last November.

T3 / T4: « CHALECO » AND JONES SET THE PACE

The protagonists made themselves known on the Dakar. In T3, "Chaleco" López (South Racing Can-Am) seized the opportunity of his time in the category to win the Dakar and take the lead (90 points). The two OT3s of the Red Bull Off-Road Junior team of Cristina Gutiérrez (72 points) and Seth Quintero (63 points) complete the top three.
De Mevius and Guthrie will complete the armada of the Red Bull Off-Road Junior team. After a Dakar during which he encountered problems, Jean-Luc Pisson, driving a PH-Sport Zephyr, will try to shine on the ADDC. Saleh Alsaif, an independent driver and neighbour from Saudi Arabia, should show off his driving skills in the dunes.
In T4, the South Racing clan leads the way. Austin Jones (Can-Am Factory South Racing) won the Dakar and took the lead in the championship with 83 points. He has some breathing room over his two rivals that are equal on points. Rokas Baciuška (South Racing Can-Am) and Marek Goczał (Cobant Energylandia Rally Team) each have 68 points. The Pole's brother and team-mate Michal Goczał is fourth (57 points). Despite his 8th place in the provisional standings (8 points), everyone will have to keep an eye on the young Lucas del Rio. The Chilean, who arrived last year on the FIA rally-raids, missed his first Dakar in January and will be keen to show his potential. The intra-team struggle in the German clan will likely be fratricidal.

TRUCKS: MACÍK IN THE LEAD

In the T5 category, the duel between the Iveco Powerstar Big Shock Racing trucks of Martin Macík and Kees Koolen has begun. The Czech gained the advantage on the Dakar, with 108 points versus 86 points for the Dutchman.

BIKES: “SUNDERSAM” PRACTICALLY AT HOME

Red is in the spotlight in the premier Rally GP category, but not always from the same constructor! Sam Sunderland won the Dakar on his GasGas Factory Racing bike and is the provisional leader with 38 points. His team-mate, Daniel Sanders, who crashed on his way out of Riyadh, wasn't able to contribute to the constructors' point tally and won't be able to do so in Abu Dhabi either, as is he still recovering from a broken arm. Thanks to the second-place result of Pablo Quintanilla (30 points) and the fifth place of Joan Barreda (17 points), Monster Energy Honda leads the constructors' classification, two points ahead of GasGas. The third-place result in Jeddah of the reigning world champion, Matthias Walkner, with 24 points, sees the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team in third place in the constructors' classification (36 points).
In trouble on the Dakar after Skyler Howes crashed out on stage 5 and Luciano Benavides finished 13th, the Husqvarna Factory Racing team is 6th in the manufacturers' standings and will have to get back on track without delay.
Rui Gonçalves at Sherco will leave it to Lorenzo Santolino to defend the honour of the French brand, which is 4th in the constructors' classification (14 points). The Spaniard will have to watch his back and the Hero Motorsports clan. The Indian brand, 5th in the constructors' standings with 13 points, is adopting the opposite policy. Joaquim Rodrigues will be joined by Franco Caimi, who was injured in testing while preparing for Abu Dhabi last year, and Ross Branch, the Yamaha defector. All the factory riders and the valiant privateer Martin Michek, present at the Dakar in RallyGP, have entered round two of the championship.
In Rally2, Mason Klein, a bona fide revelation in addition to being the best "rookie" of the 2022 Dakar, will continue his apprenticeship with the BAS World KTM Racing team. The American dominates the category with the 38 points tallied in Jeddah. In the absence of Camille Chapelière, the opportunity becomes very good for the 3rd of the provisional ranking Romain Dumontier (24 points), who aims for a podium at the end of the season. Bradley Cox, currently fifth (17 points), will share the tent with Klein and hopes to move into the top three in Rally2 before the second half of the season.
7th with 14 points, Konrad Dabrowski (Duust Rally) has decided, like Bradley Cox, to follow in his father's footsteps and to give himself the means to do so this season. The Pole finished 5th overall in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge four months ago amongst the officials and is training regularly in Dubai. Charan Moore (HT Rally Raid), 14th with 3 points, will be one to watch. The South African, who has given himself three years to become an official driver, did more than just learn the ropes on his first Dakar by finishing 4th in the Original by Motul behind an experienced podium finisher in Jeddah. Paolo Lucci (Solarys Racing) will be keen to make up for his Dakar during which his regular Top 25 performances didn't translate into a final classification.

Source ASO/W2RC
Photo: A.S.O./Charly López

The major forces in the new World Rally-Raid Championship are heading for a spectacular battle for power in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge next month.
With all the teams fighting for the inaugural cars and bikes world titles assembling in the UAE capital, the stage is set for the most eagerly awaited showdown in the event’s 31-year history from 5-10 March.
After his opening round victory in last month’s Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, defending champion Nasser Al Attiyah can expect intense pressure as he aims to keep Toyota Gazoo Racing on course for the drivers and manufacturers world crowns.
Meanwhile, Sam Sunderland, who developed his desert riding skills in the UAE, faces another big test in a world-class line-up as he looks to build on his Dakar bikes triumph for Gasgas Factory Racing.
The Emirates Motorsports Organization (EMSO), the rally organisers, will announce what is expected to be a bumper final entry list on 25th February, and Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) says the event’s place in the World Rally-Raid Championship represents another step forward in the UAE’s sporting achievements.

“We are pleased to participate in supporting and organizing the 31st edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge,” said H.E. Aref Al Awani Secretary General of ADSC, which has a long-term partnership with the EMSO to stage and promote the rally. “We attach great importance to organizing international and community sporting events in the Al Dhafra region, and value the role of the rally in shedding light on the features of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and its desert terrain.”

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region.
Al Attiyah’s path to a fourth triumph in the event is under threat from a succession of the world’s top drivers, including Stéphane Peterhansel, who is targeting a record seventh cars victory in the event with Team Audi Sport.
Joining the heat of the battle are Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi (Overdrive Racing), Poland’s Jakub Przygonski and Russian Denis Krotov Denis (X-raid MINI JCW Team) and 2018 winner in Abu Dhabi, Martin Prokop (Benzina Orlen Team).
While Bahrain Raid Xtreme have yet to confirm their driver line-up after Sébastien Loeb’s second place Dakar finish, they will certainly add to the intensity of the contest among the dramatic desert landscape of the Al Dhafra region.
The tussle for supremacy on four wheels will be matched by the strength of competition on two wheels, as Sunderland looks to add to his Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge victories in 2017 and 2019.
Austrian star Matthias Walkner had already clinched the 2021 FIM world title before winning in Abu Dhabi last year, and he returns to the Al Dhafra dunes to spearhead another big assault by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.
Team-mates Toby Price, the 2016 winner in Abu Dhabi, and last year’s Dakar champion Kevin Benavides, are among the other big threats to Sunderland in the chase for the Rally GP title.
Botswana rider Ross Branch, winner of last year’s Rally Kazakhstan, goes into action with fellow Hero Motorsports Team Rally riders Joaquim Rodrigues and Franco Caimi.
Also in contention is Luciano Benavides, runner up to Sunderland in Abu Dhabi in 2019, who teams up with Husqvarna Factory Racing’s American rider, Skyler Howes.
On 6th March, the rally heads out from Abu Dhabi across the Al Dhafra region with five competitive stages of 264km, 318km, 270km, 257km and 217km in a total route of 1,917km.

Source Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge

The South Racing Can-Am Team enjoyed further success at the Jordan Baja, with Meshari Al-Thefiri and Kees Koolen finishing first and second in the FIA T4 category and Fernando Alvarez rounding off the podium places in the T3 section for lightweight prototype machines.

South Racing entered 10 Can-Ams on the second round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas and the first event in the Middle East series in southern Jordan. All 10 vehicles reached the finish, with South Racing machines finishing third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh in T3 and first, second, fourth, fifth and seventh in T4. South Racing also built the Can-Am used by Saudi Arabia’s Saleh Al-Saif to claim outright victory and the T3 category win.

Al-Thefiri teamed up with Frenchman François Cazalet on this occasion and managed to overhaul Koolen and Wouter Rosegaar through the rain-soaked deserts of Wadi Araba on the final morning. Not only did Al-Thefiri win the T4 section, but he also finished on the podium in third place in the overall classification.

The Kuwaiti said: “We are happy to claim the win. It was a fantastic stage. We pushed to the maximum. It was wonderful. We would like to participate in Jordan in the Dakar Rally.”

Koolen finished fourth overall. The Dutchman added: “For me, it was the first time in Jordan. It’s a very nice place. The tracks are perfect. It’s real rally-raid.”

The Brazilian duo of Cristiano de Sousa Batista and Vladimir Grunenberg were competing in Jordan for the first time and they brought their T4 Can-Am to the finish in fourth in T4 and 11th overall. The Lithuanian pairing of Valeiša Egidijus and Varža Mindaugas were fifth in T4 and Spain’s Eduard Pons and Oriol Mena were seventh.

Pons suffered a collision with a Saudi rival heading in the wrong direction after 38km of the opening stage in Wadi Rum and the crew spent four hours repairing the Can-Am, despite the impact injuring both his and his co-driver’s legs. They were fortunate to be able to continue in their Baporo Motorsport car.

Alvarez teamed up with Frenchman Xavier Panseri to round off the T3 podium in his Conarpesa-backed Can-Am. He was competing in Jordan for the first time and sustained two punctures on the first stage in Wadi Rum and several delays finding the correct route. With rival Aliyyah Koloc not registered for the FIA series, Alvarez picks up points for second in the T3 rankings.

The Russian drivers, Pavel Silnov and Armen Puzian, were entered under the Nakusi Racing Team banner but their cars were run by the South Racing Can-Am Team. Silnov and Kirill Shubin finished seventh overall and fourth in T3, while Puzian and Evgenii Zagorodniuk were 10th and sixth in T3.

Saudi Arabia’s Dania Akeel teamed up with Frenchman Laurent Lichtleuchter again and overcame two punctures on the first stage to finish ninth overall and fifth in T3.

The Portuguese pairing of Filipe Nascimento and João Fernandez Serodio were 13th overall and seventh in T3. The Portuguese said: “We were in Jordan for the first time. We had an issue with the hydraulic jack and a puncture in Wadi Rum. We lost a lot of time and then a turbo problem cost us more time in the afternoon. But we are happy to make it to the finish.”

South Racing Can-Am Team’s Scott Abraham said: “Another great Jordan Baja for the team. Once again, Can-Am was the biggest manufacturer at the event, showcasing its class and market-leading X3. It was a great result in both categories with South Racing-built vehicles taking both the T3 and T4 categories.It’s been a busy few weeks with back-to-back races in Russia and Jordan and now the team heads back to the workshop for a short week before heading out to the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge to go and defend our leads in both the T3 and T4 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship where the team will be fielding a 16-car team.”

Competitors tackled two selective sections through Wadi Rum on day one. One of the most spectacular desert regions on earth played host to the opening special of 232.71km that was connected to a shorter second selective of 81.97km by a transfer section and refuelling area.

Al-Saif was the fastest of all the Can-Am runners through the first section and the eighth quickest run in the shorter second part enabled the Saudi to carve out an overnight outright lead and the advantage in T3. Puzian and Alvarez delivered solid performances to hold sixth and eighth in the overall rankings and third and fourth in T3, despite two early punctures for Alvarez. Akeel was fifth, despite using both her spare tyres on the first part of the stage.

Koolen and Al-Thefiri were closely matched in the T4 tussle at the top and the Dutchman reached Aqaba with a slender 12.5-second lead. They also held second and third in the general classification. De Sousa Batista rounded off the top 10 in the main results and was fourth in T4.

Al-Thefiri said: “Last year was my first year in Baja and finished third overall in T4 to take experience. This year is different. We fight to win. My time was good on the first stage but we lost the way on the second and lost many minutes.”

Sunday’s stage was centred around Wadi Araba – a stunning region that stretches from the Gulf of Aqaba to the southern shores of the Dead Sea - for the first time. Teams tackled a single stage of 150.89km.

Rain, chilly temperatures and reduced visibility were a far cry from the weather teams had experienced the previous day in Wadi Rum. Al-Thefiri attacked hard and managed to move ahead of Koolen to seal the T4 win with both drivers finishing third and fourth in the overall rankings. All 10 Can-Ams made it to the finish after two challenging days.

The South Racing Can-Am Team receives valuable support for the race programme from Method Wheels, Tensor Tires, Motul, Bell, Jjuan Brake Systems, Lazer and OMP.

2022 Jordan Baja – FIA T3 final standings:
1. Saleh Al-Saif (SAU)/Egor Okhotnikov (RUS) Can-Am Maverick X3 XRS 6hr 34min 40.1sec
2. Aliyyah Koloc (ARE)/Sebastien Delaunay (FRA) Can-Am Maverick DV21 6hr 54min 21.4sec
3. Fernando Alvarez (ESP)/Xavier Panseri (FRA) South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3 7hr 00min 24.4sec
4. Pavel Silnov (RUS)/Kirill Shubin (RUS) Can-Am Maverick X3 7hr 02min 34.8sec
5. Dania Akeel (SAU)/Laurent Lichtleuchter (FRA) South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3 7hr 17min 00.5sec
6. Armen Puzian (RUS)/Evgenii Zagorodniuk (RUS) Can-Am Maverick X3 7hr 20min 21.0sec
7. Filipe Nascimento (PRT)/João Fernandez Serodio (PRT) Can-Am Maverick X3 8hr 06min 56.0sec
8. Hamad Al-Harbi (SAU)/Waleed Al-Shegawi (SAU) Can-Am Maverick X3 9hr 04min 28.3sec
9. Yasmeen Koloc (ARE)/Stéphane Duplé (FRA) Can-Am Maverick DV21 66hr 07min 30.0sec

2022 Jordan Baja – FIA T4 final standings:
1. Meshari Al-Thefiri (KWT)/François Cazalet (FRA) South Racing Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo 6hr 47min 25.2sec
2. Kees Koolen (NLD)/Wouter Rosegaar (NLD) South Racing Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo 6hr 52min 13.9sec
3. Saeed Al-Mouri (SAU)/Sergio Lafuente (URY) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo 7hr 11min 25.1sec
4. Cristiano Batista (BRA)/Vladimir Grunenberg (BRA) South Racing Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo 7hr 20min 45.4sec
5. Valeiša Egidijus (LTU)/Varža Mindaugas (LTU) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo 9hr 08min 53.9sec
6. Yousef Al-Dhaif (SAU)/Omar Al-Lahim (SAU) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo 11hr 11min 39.2sec
7. Eduard Pons (ESP)/Oriol Mena Valdearcos (ESP) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo 47hr 02min 55.0sec

Source South Racing

Overdrive Racing’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Michael Orr battled back from early delays to finish 12th overall at the Jordan Baja, round two of the 2022 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas.

Having missed out on a chance to score valuable championship points in northern Russia last weekend, it was vital that the Toyota Hilux driver bounced back strongly in the Hashemite Kingdom. But a broken drive shaft after just 12km of the first stage through the spectacular Wadi Rum desert put the Saudi on the back foot.

He and his Ulster co-driver were able to repair the damage, after stopping in the stage for two hours, but any chance of claiming a podium finish was gone. Al-Rajhi attacked hard during the final day, winning the last stage through Wadi Araba by over six minutes, but the damage had been done and he had to settle for 12th place. Scant consolation was the five bonus points Al-Rajhi picked up for winning the last stage and an additional five for his finishing position.

The Saudi said: “We had a good last stage and a strong finish to the race. Everything went very well. It was difficult navigation but Michael (Orr) did a great job. We had a good rhythm. Hopefully we can be better next time, but we learned a lot today.“

Orr added: “Yesterday was a disaster for us. It can happen in the sport. We lost two hours. But they gave us a good starting position today. It was the same problem in Russia last week but they tried to put us after a lot of slow guys and that was not safe, so we didn’t continue. It was a big challenge to open the road today. The navigation was really tricky. We passed all the bikes. We arrived first. It was a big challenge for me but a nice experience. When you have difficult navigation like this it’s like a good school and you learn a lot. We had some difficult weather conditions but I see rain like that at home all the time. We had a lot of rain at the start of the stage and towards the end. For the bikes and side-by-sides it’s more difficult. We have a comfortable car, so it’s not a big deal.”

Action was fought out over two days through the spectacular deserts in Wadi Rum and Wadi Araba. The first leg was split into two sections through the Rum deserts, with crews tackling an opening selective of 232.71km, followed by a short transfer zone before the second 81.97km stage.

Al-Rajhi’s chances of winning the event outright were ruined shortly after the start of the first section when he suffered a broken drive shaft and was forced to stop and make emergency repairs. The Saudi was able to finish the stage in 13th overall with the loss of 80 minutes but there were not enough kilometres left in the race to claw back the lost time

He said: “We broke a drive shaft after just 12km of the stage. We stopped for two hours to fix it and lost around 80 minutes on the stage. It took a long time to fix it. Finally, we were able to continue. It was bad luck and we need to be fast again on the last day.“

The Saudi recovered well to set the fastest time on the shorter second section and reached Aqaba in 12th place and only 63 minutes off the outright lead held by fellow countryman Saleh Al-Saif.

Sunday’s action switched to the new location of Wadi Araba, stretching from the Gulf of Aqaba to the southern shores of the Dead Sea, and teams tackled a 150.89km stage.

Inclement weather conditions were a far cry from the previous day, but failed to stop Al-Rajhi. The Saudi was the class of the field and stormed through the final kilometres to win the stage comfortably.

Source: Overdrive