Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and French co-driver Mathieu Baumel eased into a 12min 05sec lead after Friday’s 230km loop stage through the deserts west of Hail on the 2023 Saudi Baja-Hail.
The Qatari stopped the clock in 2hr 24min 48sec and beat his nearest rival, Krzysztof Holowczyc, by 9min 50sec to lead the Mini John Cooper Works Rally Plus driver and Polish co-driver Lukasz Kurzeja comfortably.
It was good. We did not have a big push. We just wanted to have a day without any problems. We have a good time. We decide last week to do this one and we will do Qatar and, if we have the time, we will do Baja Spain and I would like to do Jordan Baja for the first time and then Dubai.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
Holowczyc had suffered a setback after the opening Prologue, when it emerged that he had strayed slightly off the designated course. The resulting two-minute penalty dropped him to the bottom of the order for the start of Friday morning’s stage.
Seaidan leads T3
Yasir Seaidan was the standout in the T3 category for lightweight prototypes, beating defending FIA Bajas T3 World Champion Fernando Alvarez by 6min 17sec to lead the class and sit third overall.
It was a good stage, the best ever. We were fast from the beginning and we continued pushing to the end. We didn’t have the top speed but it was a good day and a good start to the Middle East programme.
Yasir Seaidan
Fellow Saudi Saleh Al-Saif was second fastest in his Team Black Horse Can-Am despite missing his designated refuelling time because of congestion at the refuel zone, and moved up to fourth overall and second in T3. Dania Akeel climbed through the field to sixth, behind Alvarez, and fourth in T3 in her South Racing Can-Am.
Young Spaniard Pau Navarro and French co-driver Michael Metge impressed to lead FIA T4 in an FN Speed Team Can-Am, with French pair Jeremie Warnia and Loic Minaudier second in a Polaris RZR Pro R. Overnight leader Cristiano Batista lost time with technical problems.
T3 driver Meshari Al-Thefiri hit trouble before the stage even began.
After service, we started the road section and, after 25km, the fuel pump died. After 10km, the spare one also died and we came back. We find some connector problem and we didn’t have the parts and, once we had fixed it, it was too late.
Meshari Al-Thefiri
Unfortunately, at the start of the stage, after 4km, two rocks came through the windshield, the glass broke and the debris came into the car and into my eyes and we could not continue. I discussed with Ata (Al-Hmoud) and we decided to stop and continue on Saturday.
Local driver Saeed Al-Mouri
Argentina’s Juan Cruz Yacopini was going well in the second Overdrive Toyota until an accident near the end of the stage dropped him to seventh overall.
It was not the best day. We had an accident 15km from the finish, but all is okay.
Juan Cruz Yacopini
Al-Balooshi takes motorcycle lead
MX Ride Dubai’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi was in a class of his own in the motorcycle category, winning the stage by 2min 22sec to take a 4min 57sec overall lead over Prologue winner Abdullah Abu Aishah of Jordan.
Today was good until km16 and I realised I had jumped from eighth to first. For me, I thought I would only catch them after 80km, or before the refuel, so I was surprised. That meant I had to navigate and open the route. I was not prepared for this but I managed and took up the challenge. I led the rest of the stage and won. I am happy with this. Tomorrow, I take it easy and make sure we arrive on the finish line.
Mohammed Al-Balooshi
Yesterday, I had a problem with the starter motor and the battery and I tried to fix it. Today, I had the same problem but my friend helped me to push the bike. The stage was good. After refuelling, it was tricky navigation, but I am happy with my result. We will keep pushing until the end.
Abdullah Abu Aishah
Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Shatti was second on the day and climbed to third, while Al-Balooshi’s brother Sultan and Saudi rider Anass Al-Rehyani completed the overall top five. Australian Martin Chalmers was the best non-GCC rider in sixth.
I start 18 position and I finish third today. I am happy. More fast tomorrow.
Abdullah Al-Shatti
Abdulaziz Al-Ahli gained 4min 17sec on Haitham Al-Tuwaijri in the quads to lead by 4min 25sec, with Hani Al-Noumesi a distant third. Abdulaziz Al-Yaeesh and Omar Al-Lahim led the Saudi National Baja.
The Baja is run by the Saudi Motorsport Company with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and the Ministry of Sport, in partnership with Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) Motors.
Saturday
The opening round of the 2023 FIA World and Middle East Cups for Cross-Country Bajas, the FIM Bajas World Cup and the Saudi Toyota National Rally Championship continues with a second 184km selective section through the An Nafud desert, starting at Farhaniyah, 57km from the bivouac. The ceremonial finish takes place at Maghwat from 19.30hrs on Saturday evening.