RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) has announced initial details of the Tabuk-NEOM Rally, round two of the 2023 Saudi Toyota Rally Championship, on May 18–20.
Under the chairmanship of SAMF President HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, the three-day event features a traditional Qualifying stage and two demanding desert stages. It is the first rally ever based in Tabuk, and is open to cars under FIA regulations and bikes under the FIM, with a National event running at the rear.
Checks take place at the service park at the Grand Millennium Hotel in Tabuk, in Saudi Arabia’s far northwest, on Wednesday, May 17, followed by Thursday’s press conference, ceremonial start and Qualifying stage to set the starting order. The desert stages run on Friday and Saturday, followed by the press conference and prize-giving. The entry list will be published later this week.
The rally is run with the Ministry of Sport, official sponsor Abdul Latif Jameel Motors and strategic sponsor Saudi Investment Bank. The four-round championship opened with the Saudi Baja-Hail in February, also a round of the FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups and FIM Bajas World Cup; Rally Qassim (September 14–16) and Rally Jeddah (December 14–16) offer valuable pre-Dakar testing.
Last year Yazeed Al-Rajhi won the Aseer, Qassim, Saudi Baja and Jeddah events in his Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux for a clean sweep of the car title. Saleh Al-Saif won T3, Saudi Border Guard driver Khaled Al-Feraihi and French co-driver Sébastien Delaunay won the National Championship, and Ahmed Al-Shegawi took T2.