MX Ride Dubai’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi hopes to stretch his eight-point lead in the FIM Bajas World Cup 450cc class as pre-event favourite for the bikes at this weekend’s Qatar International Baja, the series’ new fifth round.
The KTM rider faces nearest rival Abdullah Abuaisheh of Jordan and many GCC and European riders over three days at Qatar’s top off-road event of 2021.
Several leading contenders are missing, giving Al-Balooshi a perfect chance to close in on the title before the final two Bajas in Portugal next month.
Other classes
With Mirjam Pol and Margot Farre absent, Kuwait’s Sarah Khuraibet has a chance to boost her Women’s title hopes. Now recovered from an earlier injury, the Yamaha WR450 rider is 24 points behind Pol and 14 behind Farre, and a finish would put her firmly in contention.
Mozambique’s Paulo Oliveira visits Qatar for the first time, hoping to extend his 11-point Veterans’ Trophy lead. Nearest rivals Philippe Gendron and Mark Ackermann are absent, but several British riders are among seven aiming to push him hard.
Talented Polish rider Konrad Dabrowski leads the Juniors by 10 points but is not in Qatar, leaving young Briton Robert Wallace hoping to shine on his KTM 450 RR.
The quad class is an all-Saudi contest between five Yamaha riders, three of whom hold the top three places in the FIM Bajas World Cup after four rounds. Haitham Al-Tuwaijri leads Faisal Al-Suwayh by four points, with Hani Al-Noumesi another 10 points back in third. Sultan Al-Masoud and Abdulaziz Al-Atawi are also entered.
In the new FIM SSV class, Qatar’s Ahmed Al-Kuwari, Khalid Al-Mohannadi and Abdullah Al-Khelaifi face Jordan’s Ahmed Allouh, Lebanon’s Henry Kahy and Italy’s Stefano Marrini.
The event starts at the new Al-Bayt Stadium in Al-Khor from 15.30hrs on Thursday.