Saudi trio Yazeed Al-Rajhi, Yaseer Al-Khaleef and Haitham Al-Tuwaijri set the fastest times in the car, motorcycle and quad categories on Wednesday afternoon’s opening super special of Rally Qassim through Buraydah National Park.
Al-Rajhi and German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz were quickest through the 6.22km test to lead Czech driver Miroslav Zapletal by 1min 12sec in their Toyota Hilux. Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri was third, with Khalid Al-Feraihi and Al-Mashna Al-Ramali completing the top five.
Al-Khaleef pipped Mishal Al-Ghuneim and Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera on two wheels, and Haitham Al-Tuwaijri set the early pace in the quads. Qatar-based Martin Chalmers was the leading non-Saudi rider in fourth, tied with the UAE’s Hamdan Al-Ali.
Sixth-placed Ahmed Al-Shegawi took the early T2 lead, Saleh Al-Saif was ninth and leads T3 in his Can-Am, and Saeed Al-Mouri heads T4.
Stage times were multiplied by a coefficient of six to make the opener as competitive as possible.
Thirty cars, 18 motorcycles and four quads passed administrative and scrutineering checks to start the three-day event. Cars ran in reverse order, with Al-Rajhi the last car on track before Ibrahim Al-Muhanna’s Mercedes T5 truck closed proceedings.
Rally Qassim is organised by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) with the Ministry of Sport and in partnership with Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) Motors Toyota, under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, Prince of the Al-Qassim region.
Next
Teams next tackle the first of two selective sections through the deserts west and north of Buraydah. After a 43km run out, the Ash Shimasiyah stage covers 185 competitive kilometres, followed by a 58km liaison back to the service park.