Saudi Arabia’s Yasir Seaidan used his starting position on the final stage to snatch victory from Dutch rival Erik van Loon at the Jordan Baja.
A second outright win in three weeks for the Mini John Cooper Works Rally driver also extends his early lead in the 2021 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas Drivers’ Championship, before a three-month break ahead of five European rounds between July and October.
Crews faced a 235.82km stage through Wadi Rum and the surrounding deserts on the final morning. Van Loon set out to defend a 26-second lead despite running first on the road and having to open the track for navigation. Seaidan made the most of it, closed in on the Dutchman and passed the Toyota Hilux driver to win by 5min 24sec.
It was not easy but our performance became better than yesterday. We tried to be more safe today. Unfortunately, after 50km, we get a slow puncture and decided to continue to see what happened.
Yasir Seaidan
We are glad that we finished without changing the tyre. We overtook Van Loon after 54km and we continued in front of him. Then we made a mistake and he overtook us and then we came back again to him and we continued in front of him to the finish. I am leading the championship with two wins. I hope I keep it like this until we finish the season.
Yasir Seaidan
It was a tough day. At the beginning it looked nice. We had to open and you cannot do the same speed as when you follow a car. No punctures and we drive safe to the finish but the last part of the stage was not nice, only stones and twisty and second gear. When we came here, I was delighted to come on to the podium and we are happy with second.
Erik van Loon
Seaidan was partnered by Alexey Kuzmich. Frenchman Ronan Chabot and compatriot Gilles Pillot had a trouble-free run to third in the second Toyota.
It was a good stage, no puncture, quite beautiful country. We enjoyed it.
Ronan Chabot
T4 and T3
Saleh Al-Saif moved into FIA T4 title contention with victory in his Can-Am Maverick X3. Having built a good lead on day one, he stayed out of trouble to the finish.
We had a comfortable margin thanks to yesterday’s result. We benefited from it today, as we did not push much. The layout is great. I thank Jordan Motorsport for the route and the precise road book.
Saleh Al-Saif
Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri kept his title bid going with second in T4 and fifth overall, Dubai-based Briton Thomas Bell was sixth, and French veteran Claude Fournier kept a reduced championship lead after finishing fourth in T4 and seventh overall. Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah set the fastest T4 time on the final day, but fuel problems had ended his win hopes on Friday and he was fifth in T4.
Saudi driver Dania Akeel completed her second international event, this time with French navigator Stéphane Duplé, finishing eighth and moving into a clear lead of the FIA T3 standings.
Bikes and quads
Time penalties applied to several crews before the restart did not change the FIA order, but cost Abdullah Abu Aisheh more time in his duel with Mohammed Al-Balooshi, leaving the local rider 5min 24sec behind at the start of the final day.
The pair rode together for much of the final stage and Al-Balooshi held on to win by 3min 47sec, extended to 18min 47sec when his rival received a 15-minute penalty. The young Jordanian, whom Al-Balooshi has been coaching in the UAE, confirmed second, with Saudi Arabia’s Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera a distant third in round two of the 2021 FIM Bajas World Cup.
It was a very tough stage, but I was leading by eight minutes and I just took it easy. I was tired from yesterday. I guess I am still recovering from January’s Covid. I am not 100%. I thought I was. I stayed behind Abdullah. He did a great job and we rode together. I could not ask for a better result. If he had not had the penalty, I would have had to attack a bit more. This was much more difficult that my last win here (2019).
Mohammed Al-Balooshi
Today was a very hard stage, all rocks and gravel and no dunes or soft sand, only at the start for 40km. We did good, me and Balooshi, because he is my coach and my big brother. I was pushing all I have.
Abdullah Abu Aisheh
Amit Sadot and Talat Al-Shishane completed the top five. Local rider Zaid Jaber did not restart after a back injury on Friday, and Kuwait’s Sarah Khuraibet won the Women’s award.
Hani Al-Noumesi stayed well clear of Yamaha rival Faisal Al-Suwayh for his second international quad win in three weeks, while Haitham Al-Tuwayjri did not restart after fuel-feed problems on day one.
Saudi crew Hamed Harbi and Waleed Al-Shegawi cruised to a clear win in the Jordan National Baja. The event was organised by Jordan Motorsport with support from telecommunications sponsor Zain.