Toyota Gazoo Racing and Overdrive Racing had a big weekend at Baja Spain Aragón, round four of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, held on July 20-22, 2023. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Andorra-based co-driver Mathieu Baumel won outright, Brazilians Lucas Moraes and Kaique Bentivoglio were second, and six Overdrive-supported Toyotas finished inside the top 10.
Moraes, who reached the podium on his Dakar debut in January, led after the first day and pushed Al-Attiyah to the end, finishing 1min 43.2sec behind. The Qatari’s sixth win in Spain, and fifth with Baumel, extends his lead in the FIA World Cup.
“This is a fantastic result for myself and Mathieu and it puts us in a really strong position in the FIA World Cup after four rounds with three wins and one second place.”
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
“I cannot thank this team enough. They delivered an amazing car for the whole race. It was an amazing opportunity for me to drive with this team. Last year we got third, this year we got second behind the GOAT. Maybe next year we can move one step further. Kaique did an amazing job. The pace we kept was unbelievable. We had a blast!”
Lucas Moraes
Al-Rajhi recovers to eighth
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk arrived as winners of the previous round in Italy, but two flat tyres on the first stage and a three-minute penalty for an overtaking infringement left them chasing. Third-fastest times on stages two and three brought the Saudi back to eighth overall. Lithuanian Rokas Baciuška, making his T1+ debut with Overdrive alongside Oriol Vidal, finished ninth despite an eight-minute penalty for missed waypoints. Juan Cruz Yacopini and Dani Oliveras were 13th, while Overdrive’s Francisco Barata Barreto/Carlos Silva and Isidre Esteve Pujol/José Valcarcel were classified 10th and 16th. Tiago Reis and Valter Cardoso, technically supported by Overdrive, finished fifth.
How the rally unfolded
Because of the Spanish elections on Sunday, the event was squeezed into two days, starting with a 5.83km Prologue on Friday morning. Al-Attiyah’s Hilux had been damaged in a freak accident involving a team member before the start, but he was second-fastest of the FIA entrants, 0.5 seconds behind Prologue winner Vaidotas Zala.
On Friday afternoon’s 179.84km stage between Bañón and Cuevas Labradas, Moraes was fastest, 30 seconds clear of Al-Attiyah, and took the overall lead by 21.2 seconds.
“It was an amazing day for us to be able to win one stage of the World Championship. We are having fun and enjoying the track but being careful sometimes to avoid the rocks. It’s nice to be back after an amazing Dakar.”
Lucas Moraes
Al-Attiyah struck back on Saturday’s 155.47km stage between Bañón and Celadas, beating Moraes by 1min 23.9sec to lead by 62.7 seconds. On the final 171.36km stage from Monreal to Gea, run in the afternoon heat, he beat Moraes by another 40.5 seconds to seal the win. Al-Rajhi was third-fastest and moved ahead of Baciuška for eighth.
The next round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies takes place in Poland on August 24th-27th.
Baja Spain Aragón – top 10
- Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Mathieu Baumel (AND) Toyota GR DKR Hilux – 6hr 18min 37.2sec
- Lucas Moraes (BRA)/Kaique Bentivoglio (BRA) Toyota Hilux Overdrive – 6hr 20min 20.4sec
- Vaidotas Zala (LTU)/Paulo Fiuza (PRT) Mini JCW Rally Plus – 6hr 28min 28.7sec
- João Ferreira (PRT)/Filipe Palmeiro (PRT) Mini JCW Rally Plus – 6hr 29min 45.6sec
- Tiago Reis (PRT)/Valter Cardoso (PRT) Toyota Hilux – 6hr 29min 55.0sec
- Joan ‘Nani’ Roma (ESP)/Alex Haro (ESP) M-Sport Ford Ranger – 6hr 30min 34.0sec
- Krzysztof Holowczyc (POL)/Lukasz Kurzeja (POL) Mini JCW Rally Plus – 6hr 32min 06.1sec
- Yazeed Al-Rajhi (SAU)/Timo Gottschalk (DEU) Toyota Hilux Overdrive – 6hr 32min 17.0sec
- Rokas Baciuška (LTU)/Oriol Vidal (ESP) Toyota Hilux Overdrive – 6hr 34min 31.5sec
- Francisco Barata Barreto (PRT)/Carlos Silva (PRT) Toyota Hilux Overdrive – 6hr 38min 22.3sec