BURAYDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – Rally Qassim Toyota 2023 starts at the National Park in Buraydah at 15:00 on Thursday.
Round three of the Saudi Toyota Championship is organised by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) with the Ministry of Sport and Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota. It is run by an experienced Buraydah team that also works with the A.S.O. on the Dakar Rally, with an organising committee headed by SAMF President HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal.
The 43 cars, 27 motorcycles and six quads entered include the main contenders in every category.
Championship standings
Abdulaziz Al-Yaeesh leads the overall Drivers’ Championship by seven points from Saleh Al-Saif, with Tabuk-NEOM Rally winner Yazeed Al-Rajhi third and Al-Mashna Al-Ramali and Dania Akeel completing the top five. Omar Al-Lahim leads Radi Al-Shammeri by 21 points among co-drivers.
Al-Yaeesh also leads T1 by 20 points from Al-Ramali, with Metab Al-Qnoun third and newly crowned FIA Middle East Baja Cup winner Khalid Al-Feraihi and Owaid Al-Rameli next. Khaled Al-Hamzani leads T2 by eight points from Jafar Al-Qahtani and Haylan Al-Subaie.
Al-Saif leads T3 by 17 points from Akeel in his Dark Horse Can-Am Maverick X3, with recent FIA Middle East Baja Cup T3 champion Hamad Al-Harbi third, ahead of Yasir Seaidan and Abdullah Al-Shegawi. Maha Al-Hameli, Baja Cup T4 runner-up to Salem Al-Dhafeeri, leads Saudi T4 with 79 points, 45 clear of Saeed Al-Mouri, with Orjwan Ammar and Moaaz Hariri next. Ibrahim Al-Muhanna is the only T5 truck entrant.
Mishal Al-Ghuneim leads the motorcycles by nine points from Ehab Al-Hakeem after strong rides in Hail and Tabuk-NEOM, with Philip Wilson third and Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera, Badr Al-Hamdan and Abdulrahman Al-Abdulattif next. Quad riders Haitham Al-Tuwaijri and Hani Al-Noumesi have a win each and are tied on 45 points, with Abdulaziz Al-Atawi a distant third.
After Wednesday’s checks next to the service park, Thursday starts with the press conference at the Mövenpick Qassim, followed by the ceremonial start at 15:00 and a two-kilometre Prologue from 16:00 that sets Friday’s starting order.