LUSAIL, QATAR – Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and French navigator Max Delfino sealed their FIA Middle East Baja Cup titles with overall victory at the 2026 Qatar International Baja across the southern deserts on Saturday.
Al-Attiyah started the final day defending a 6min 15.3sec lead over FIA World Baja Cup title contender Francisco Barreto and navigator Paulo Fiúza. The Optimus MD Rallye driver started strongly and extended his virtual lead through the early checkpoints.
There were no Halloween scares, and Al-Attiyah claimed a record 13th win on his home off-road event since 2004, and his first since 2023, by a margin of 29min 08.7sec. He also clinched the regional Baja title for the first time. Barreto lost more than 18 minutes on the final section with navigation delays but held on to second.
A lucky number for today, 13. This year it was completely different. We had the longest stages on a Baja. It looked like a Dakar cross-country stage yesterday and we had 200km today over completely different terrain. We had to manage the rear tyres today, so as not to destroy them, like yesterday. We did a good job and we won the race. Two Middle East championships this year. It’s the first time I compete in this Baja Cup. Before, I competed in the World Cup.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
Now, Dubai next week and we just received information that he have Jeddah the week after because I am also leading the Saudi Championship. Then, we have Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge at the end of this month.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
Dąbrowski makes history
Konrad Dąbrowski wrote a small piece of motorcycling history by becoming the first rider to win the event four times (2022, 2023, 2025 and 2026), beating the three cross-country wins of Spain’s Marc Coma in 2012, 2013 and 2015. The Pole led from the Prologue and won by 5min 12sec. Emirati Khalifa Al-Bastaki won the quad category on his Yamaha.
I knew what I had to do. The plan was simple, not to get lost. I wanted to lead the way until the dunes. That way I knew the navigation game was done right. Alex (McInnes) and Romain (Dumontier) caught me and I just rode with them. That way I was safe. It was a good day, four in a row, and still undefeated in Qatar. Dunes were nice. They are demanding and the camel grass is physically tough and it was hot. We could feel that but I enjoyed myself.
Konrad Dąbrowski
Barreto takes World Baja Cup lead
Barreto’s reward for a distant second was the outright lead of the FIA World Baja Cup heading into the final round in the UAE next weekend. The SVR Toyota Hilux IMT Evo driver finished 9min 28.8sec ahead of third-placed Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari and Oriol Mena, who won the Challenger category in their QMMF-backed Can-Am.
First in the FIA World Baja Cup was most important for us. Today’s stage, for me, was the most difficult of the weekend because the navigation was too hard. The last 70km in the dunes was very difficult. Paulo did a good job, but we got lost a few times and lost a few minutes. But we stayed in second position.
Francisco Barreto
The rest of the car field
A strong final day lifted Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah and Stéphane Duplé to fourth overall in the second QMMF Challenger. French father and daughter Lionel and Lucie Baud avoided major problems and set the fourth-fastest time on the second stage in their X-Raid Mini JCW Rally to finish fifth.
Aliyyah Koloc‘s strong Friday was undone by time penalties, and the UAE-based Red-Lined Revo GTR driver then retired with technical problems on the second stage. Her father Martin Koloc and navigator Hugo Magalhães finished sixth.
Ahmed El-Shamy remains on course to finish runner-up to Al-Attiyah in the Middle East Baja Cup’s Ultimate class after taking seventh with Leonard Cremer in a Century CR6.
Argentina-based Fernando Alvarez and Xavier Panseri kept their SSV title push alive with eighth overall and a big haul of points for winning the class in a Can-Am Maverick R. The QMMF’s Nouef Al-Sowaidi was ninth, and Khalid Al-Jafla recovered from overnight penalties to collect valuable FIA World Baja Cup points in 10th in his Toyota, despite a late penalty.
Ghanim Al-Attiyah‘s international debut ended well in 11th, while South Africa’s Saood Variawa recovered from two sets of time penalties to finish 12th.
Challenger driver Hamed Al-Wahaibi‘s hopes of catching Mitchel van den Brink ended when a front axle support bracket broke on the final stage after an accident over a crest.
Qatar’s Abdullah Al-Khelaifi (Yamaha) retired late with mechanical problems, and Ahmed Al-Kuwari had to withdraw with damage after being hit from behind by Al-Jafla after 18.88km. Mohammed Al-Marri lost lots of time with mechanical issues in his Can-Am but carried on to finish 26th.
Newly crowned Stock world champion Majed Al-Thunayyan celebrated his title, while Qatar’s Abdulla Al-Rabban won the class for series-production cross-country vehicles in a Nissan Patrol for the third year running.
The motorcycle battle
Extra time penalties were applied to several riders before the restart. Jordan’s Abdullah Abu Aisheh received an additional eight minutes for arriving late at TC1A, and Marcin Talaga lost his time card and was given five minutes. Andrew Houlihan and Simon Marčič did not start.
Duust Rally Team rider Dąbrowski began the day defending a 5min 18sec lead over Alex McInnes. The stage started south-west of Doha, and a navigation mistake by McInnes early on swung things the Pole’s way. The Briton lost 4min 47sec to the leader and rode with Romain Dumontier to the refuelling point, with Ethan Lane going well.
Rafic Eid’s Baja ended with a hand injury after a fall, and Talaga and Thomas Cross both stopped.
Dumontier held on through the final run in the Sealine dunes to win the stage by 1min 58sec from his riding companion McInnes, but third-fastest time was enough for Dąbrowski to win the Baja for the fourth time. McInnes boosted his FIM Bajas World Cup title hopes with second, and Dumontier completed the podium.
I actually really enjoyed it. I rode with Romain all day. There was a tricky note in the road book and I slowed down and he caught me. The dunes were good, switching back and forth together and taking it in turns opening. Hopefully I can wrap it up in Dubai and not have to go to Portugal. That’s my home race and that would be good.
Alex McInnes
I am happy. First time in Qatar and it means I had to learn how it works here. I took it quite easy on the first day. I am not so used to this WPP (waypoint). I missed one today. Even with that I managed the win. I caught Alex at the beginning. He was lost and then we made all the stage together. We caught Konrad in the dunes and we finish all together. It was a good feeling. I am glad to make this race and hope to come back.
Romain Dumontier
Young British rider Ethan Lane beat Slovenia’s Toni Mulec to fourth overall as the treacherous Sealine dunes took their toll on several of the chasing pack. Debutant Mulec finished the stage 15 minutes behind Lane.
Michael Anderson and Robert Wallace were sixth and seventh, and Norway’s Hans Dovland (Gas Gas) passed defending FIM champion Mohammed Al-Balooshi on the last day to take eighth. Philip Horlemann rose to ninth after Al-Balooshi was given time penalties.
KTMs filled the top seven places and nine of the top 10. Joanna Modrzewska completed the top 20, and Mexico’s Christophe Suberville finished 21st after team-mate and compatriot Ladislao Hernandez retired with heat exhaustion on the final stage.
Al-Bastaki wins the quads
Emirati Khalifa Al-Bastaki held on to his overnight lead to beat compatriot Abdulaziz Ahli in the quad class. Ahmed Al-Jaber arrived in Qatar as FIM quad championship leader but did not start the final stage. Hani Al-Noumesi stopped to help an injured rider and later had the time returned, completing the quad podium ahead of Abdulaziz Al-Atawi.
All three FIA and FIM championships continue at the Dubai International Baja in the UAE next weekend.
Final result: cars (top 10)
- 1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Max Delfino (FRA), Optimus MD Rallye – 5hr 12min 54.1sec
- 2. Francisco Barreto (POR) / Paulo Fiúza (POR), Toyota Hilux IMT Evo – 5hr 42min 02.8sec
- 3. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT) / Oriol Mena (ESP), Can-Am Maverick R – 5hr 51min 31.6sec
- 4. Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Stéphane Duplé (FRA), Taurus T3 Max – 5hr 58min 59.1sec
- 5. Lionel Baud (FRA) / Lucie Baud (FRA), X-Raid Mini JCW 3.0d – 6hr 00min 37.8sec
- 6. Martin Koloc (CZE) / Hugo Magalhães (POR), Red-Lined Revo V8 – 6hr 08min 02.8sec
- 7. Ahmed El-Shami (UAE) / Leonard Cremer (RSA), Century CR6 – 6hr 10min 31.0sec
- 8. Fernando Alvarez (ARG) / Xavier Panseri (FRA), Can-Am Maverick R – 6hr 18min 41.5sec
- 9. Nouef Al-Suwaidi (QAT) / Aisvydas Paliukenas (LTU), Taurus T3 Max – 6hr 26min 28.0sec
- 10. Khalid Al-Jafla (UAE) / Andrei Rudnitskiy (LTU), Toyota Hilux Evo – 6hr 45min 10.6sec
Final result: motorcycles (top 10)
- 1. Konrad Dąbrowski (POL), KTM 450 Rally Replica – 6hr 22min 05sec
- 2. Alex McInnes (GBR), KTM 450 RFR – 6hr 27min 17sec
- 3. Romain Dumontier (FRA), KTM 450 Rally Factory – 6hr 33min 37sec
- 4. Ethan Lane (GBR), KTM 450 Rally – 6hr 52min 27sec
- 5. Toni Mulec (SLO), KTM 450 Rally Replica – 7hr 14min 00sec
- 6. Michael Anderson (POR), KTM 450 RFR – 7hr 22min 59sec
- 7. Robert Wallace (GBR), KTM 450 EXC – 7hr 23min 09sec
- 8. Hans Dovland (NOR), Gas Gas RX 450 F – 7hr 27min 34sec
- 9. Philip Horlemann (GER), KTM 450 Rally Replica – 7hr 50min 24sec
- 10. Mohammed Al-Balooshi (UAE), KTM 450 RR – 7hr 58min 54sec
Final result: quads
- 1. Khalifa Al-Bastaki (UAE), Yamaha YFZ 450R – 7hr 52min 06sec
- 2. Abdulaziz Ahli (UAE), Yamaha Raptor 700 – 8hr 36min 53sec
- 3. Hani Al-Noumesi (KSA), Yamaha 700 – 9hr 10min 47sec
- 4. Abdulaziz Al-Atawi (KSA), Yamaha Raptor 700 – 10hr 27min 57sec