LUSAIL, QATAR – The FIA World Baja Cup, the FIA Middle East Baja Cup and the FIM Bajas World Cup are all building to a climax ahead of the Qatar International Baja on October 28th-31st.
The Lusail-based event is the penultimate round of both FIA series and round five of the FIM Bajas World Cup.
Before FIA World Baja Cup competitors head to Qatar for one of the toughest events on the cross-country calendar, they visit Portugal for the Baja de Portalegre 500 on October 15th-17th. Qatar will be the next round of both the FIA Middle East Baja Cup and the FIM series for motorcycles and quads.
FIA World Baja Cup: Variawa leads
South Africa’s Saood Variawa leads both the Drivers’ Championship and the Ultimate category. The Toyota Gazoo Racing SA driver won the Jordan Baja outright and has 232 points from four events. Six scores from a possible eight count towards the championship.
With class results also counting towards the Drivers’ and Navigators’ standings, Emirati Mansour Al-Helai leads the SSV section in an R-X Sport Can-Am, just 20 points behind Variawa. Former regional champion Dania Akeel is third, two points further back, in her Overdrive Racing Toyota. R-X Sport has a comfortable lead in the Teams’ Championship.
Challenger, SSV and Stock battles
The Challenger category is heading for a thrilling finish over the last three rounds in Portugal, Qatar and Dubai. South Racing’s Mitchel van den Brink leads Oman’s Hamed Al-Wahaibi by two points, and Al-Wahaibi, who leads the Masters, is due to return from injury for the final two events in the Middle East. Host nation driver Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari is third, 47 points behind van den Brink.
While Al-Helai sets the pace in the SSVs, there are plenty of points available for South Racing’s Fernando Alvarez, leading Norwegian Junior Hedda Hosås, Dutch veteran Erik van Loon and Poland’s Tomasz Bialkowski to chase him down.
The Stock category for series-production cross-country cars is also likely to go to the wire, with Qatar’s tough navigation expected to be decisive. Saudi Arabia’s Al-Mashna Al-Shammeri leads fellow Nissan driver Majed Al-Thunayyan by just 16 points. Portugal’s Fernando Barreiros has won two of the last three rounds and is 52 points behind the leader, while Abdullah Al-Shegawi and Qatar’s Abdullah Al-Rabban and Ahmad Al-Muhannadi have also scored.
FIA Middle East Baja Cup: Al-Attiyah on 172 points
Qatari legend Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah leads the FIA Middle East Baja Cup on 172 points after winning the opening two rounds in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Yasir Seaidan and Qatari youngster Mohammed Al-Marri are his closest rivals, with Al-Marri also leading the Juniors.
Seaidan holds a useful lead over Dubai-based Briton David Mabbs and Abdullah Al-Fahad in the Challenger category, while Al-Marri leads the SSVs from Hamad Al-Harbi, Maha Al-Hamali and Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Atteya and Ahmed Al-Kuwari.
FIM Bajas World Cup: McInnes by two points
Qatar is the fifth of seven rounds in the FIM Bajas World Cup. Junior rider Alex McInnes leads Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera by two points overall, with multiple defending champion Mohammed Al-Balooshi eight points behind.
Al-Balooshi also leads the Veteran class, Ahmed Al-Jaber has a seven-point lead over Hani Al-Noumesi in the quads, and Joanna Modrzewska is well ahead in the Women’s section.
Entry deadlines
Reduced-fee entries for the Qatar International Baja close on Wednesday, September 30th, with the final cut-off on Wednesday, October 14th.
Championship leaders at a glance
- FIA World Baja Cup: Saood Variawa (RSA), 232 points
- SSV: Mansour Al-Helai (UAE)
- Challenger: Mitchel van den Brink (NED), two points ahead of Hamed Al-Wahaibi (OMA)
- Stock: Al-Mashna Al-Shammeri (KSA), 16 points ahead of Majed Al-Thunayyan (KSA)
- FIA Middle East Baja Cup: Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT), 172 points
- FIM Bajas World Cup: Alex McInnes, two points ahead of Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera