LUSAIL, QATAR – An 11.12km Prologue opens the Qatar International Baja before the official ceremonial start at the Lusail International Circuit on Thursday afternoon.
A strong field of cars, motorcycles and quads, contesting the penultimate rounds of the FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups and round five of the FIM Bajas World Cup, will then face a tough two-day route through the deserts of northern, western and southern Qatar.
A dozen leading drivers and riders attended Wednesday evening’s pre-event press conference at Lusail, in the presence of QMMF President Abdulrahman Al-Mannai and QMMF Executive Director Amro Al-Hamad.
Six-time Dakar champion and FIA Middle East Baja Cup leader Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah was joined by fellow Qatari Mohammed Al-Marri, SSV contender Fernando Alvarez, Dutch Challenger pace-setter Mitchel van den Brink and FIA World Baja Cup title rivals Francisco Barreto and Lionel Baud. From the FIM ranks came series leader Alex McInnes, defending champion Mohammed Al-Balooshi, last year’s winner Konrad Dąbrowski, leading female rider Joanna Modrzewska, quad front-runner Ahmed Al-Jaber and Slovenian star Toni Mulec.
Al-Attiyah targets overall win
Al-Attiyah is confident he can fight for overall victory on his first appearance at his home event in an Optimus MD Rallye, with navigator Max Delfino.
This will be an amazing race. If you see the number of competitors, it is fantastic. We try to win this race and maintain the focus for the next one in Dubai. Last year, I came with a Taurus with my team Nasser Racing and now we are here with a rear-wheel drive. The Optimus is a really good car and I will try to win the overall.
Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah
McInnes and Al-Balooshi on the bikes
Alex McInnes defends a two-point lead in the FIM Bajas World Cup.
This year I will really focus on the navigation as much as possible. Last year, I made a big mistake. I won the stage but had a penalty and I made a mistake at the end in Sealine and threw away the rally. I will try and play it safe and then go to Dubai next week and this is where I think I can make the gap. It’s a good level with two past Dakar winners here. This is good for the sport, the racing and for me, so I can see where I am.
Alex McInnes
Mohammed Al-Balooshi, the defending FIM champion, is third in the standings.
My strategy is to do my best and get all the navigation right and ride well. This year third, but I started the season with an injury and now I am at 100%. It’s good for the sport and for the QMMF that the entry is so strong. The more good riders on the entry list, the better for the region and the championship.
Mohammed Al-Balooshi
Alvarez and Al-Wahaibi
Argentina-based Fernando Alvarez is chasing the SSV and overall FIA World Baja Cup titles with French navigator Xavier Panseri.
I have to finish this race but I am going to push because I need a good finish in the overall, for the SSV and for the Masters. I am fighting for many things on the last two races. Races like this are where you use a really good navigator. We have been together for a long time and I trust in him.
Fernando Alvarez
Hamed Al-Wahaibi returns after recovering from a leg break in August, aiming to close the gap to Mitchel van den Brink in the Challenger category.
The leg is a lot better, maybe 90%. Apart from that, I’ve lost a lot of fitness because I could not do a lot of training. We are here. That’s important. We are 60 points down. We would have been stronger in Europe. But I must stress that I am here for fun and to enjoy myself. I have a better chance in the Master Driver. Lionel (Baud) has done five events and I’ve done four. If we have a chance, why not?
Hamed Al-Wahaibi
Mabbs and McBride, Al-Kuwari
UAE-based Briton David Mabbs is targeting a double of the FIA Middle East Baja Cup Challenger class and the Master Driver award with navigator David McBride. Both have plenty of desert Baja experience on two wheels but know the unique challenge Qatar presents.
We are here to enjoy as much as we can. The important thing is to finish. It’s easier for me, I’m the driver! For us, Qatar is difficult with the rocks and the punctures. We will be a little bit more conservative here.
David Mabbs
It’s harder maybe as a navigator. You don’t have control. Everything comes up so quick here. Every few hundred metres you have a direction change. It’s actually more difficult in a car than on a bike. On a bike, you are doing it yourself.
David McBride
QMMF-backed Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, who drives one of the latest Can-Am Challengers and won this year’s MERC round in Qatar, is focused on home success.
We forgot about fighting for the championship. I will not go to Dubai. I did Morocco in the new Can-Am and I need more mileage before Dakar. It is always good to win at home. We won the Qatar International Rally in February, so it would be good to win again in the Baja!
Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari
Al-Thunayyan’s epic road trip
Saudi Arabia’s Majed Al-Thunayyan needs only three points to overtake compatriot Al-Mashna Al-Shammeri and win the FIA World Baja Cup Stock category for series-production cross-country vehicles.
Remarkably, Al-Thunayyan drove his Nissan Patrol to the last three Bajas in Europe. He finished second in Italy in late June, drove on to northern Spain to repeat that result at the Baja Spain Aragón, then headed to Portugal for the Baja Portalegre 500. After beating his rival to victory there, he drove the Nissan across the whole of Europe and back to the Middle East, and is now on the verge of a famous world title.
Thursday’s schedule
Motorcycle and quad riders tackle the 11.12km Prologue from 13.15hrs, with the first car starting at 14.45hrs. The Prologue result sets the start order for Friday morning’s opening selective section. The ceremonial start follows at the service park next to the Lusail International Circuit from 18.00hrs.
Car entry list
- Ultimate: 200. Francisco Barreto / Paulo Fiúza, Toyota Hilux IMT Evo* | 201. Lionel Baud / Lucie Baud, X-Raid Mini JCW 3.0d* | 202. Saood Variawa / Charan Moore, Toyota Hilux IMT Evo* | 203. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah / Max Delfino, Optimus MD Rallye+ | 204. Khalid Al-Jafla / Andrei Rudnitskiy, Toyota Hilux Evo* | 205. Ahmed Al-Shami / Leonard Cremer, Chevrolet Corvette+ | 206. Aliiyah Koloc / Marcin Pasek, Red-Lined Revo GTR | 207. Martin Koloc / Hugo Magalhães, Red-Lined Revo V8 | 208. Fahad Al-Fahad / Yasir Al-Khuraif, Optimus MD Rallye
- Challenger: 300. Mitchel van den Brink / Bart van Heun, Can-Am Maverick R* | 301. Hamed Al-Wahaibi / Maciej Giemza, Can-Am Maverick R* | 302. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari / Oriol Mena, Can-Am Maverick R* | 303. Ahmed Al-Muhannadi / Ali Hassan Obaid, MCE-5 T3M* | 304. David Mabbs / David McBride, Can-Am Maverick X3+ | 305. Abdullah Al-Fahad / Mohammed Al-Muakhil, Taurus T3 Max+ | 306. Nouef Al-Suwaidi / Aisvydas Paliukenas, Taurus T3 Max+ | 307. Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah / Stéphane Duplé, Taurus T3 Max+ | 308. Ahmed Al-Kuwari / Augusto Sanz, Taurus T3 Max+ | 309. Rashid Al-Muhannadi / Szymon Gospodarczyk, Taurus T3 Max | 310. Mohammed Al-Attiyah / Candido Carrera, Taurus T3 Max | 311. Evgenii Kudriavtcev / Oleg Zaikin, Can-Am Maverick X3
- SSV: 400. Fernando Alvarez / Xavier Panseri, Can-Am Maverick R* | 401. Mohammed Al-Marri / Pierre Delorme+ | 402. Hamad Al-Harbi / Faisal Al-Suwayh+ | 403. Maha Al-Hamali / Xavier Flick+ | 404. Mohammed Al-Atteya / Aleksei Kuzmich+ | 405. Camelia Liparoti / Erika Mingozzi+ | 406. Dhari Al-Dhafeeri / Baptiste Cerrato+ | 407. Nora Al-Jassasi / Jeannette Kvick+ | 408. Abdulla Al-Khelaifi / Abdulaziz Al-Jabri | 409. Stefano Marrini / Stefano Tironi | 410. Farah Zakaria / Dolyne Schlink | 411. Christiano Gabbarrini / Atif Al-Zarouni | 412. Ghanim Al-Attiyah / Dmytro Tsyro
- Stock: 500. Majed Al-Thunayyan / Omar Al-Lahim, Nissan Patrol* | 501. Abdulla Al-Rabban / Ali Ajami, Nissan Patrol* | 502. Abdullah Al-Shegawi / Ali Mirza, Toyota Prado+
*Registered for the FIA World Baja Cup. +Registered for the FIA Middle East Baja Cup.