RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) has issued an impressive entry list for the first Tabuk-NEOM Rally, round two of the 2023 Saudi Toyota Rally Championship, on May 18–20.
Running under the chairmanship of SAMF President HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, the event has attracted 35 cars, 20 motorcycles and three quads, with three bikes in the over-450cc class. It is held with the Ministry of Sport, official sponsor Abdul Latif Jameel Motors and strategic sponsor Saudi Investment Bank.
Cars
Eleven T1 crews join top seeds Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk in their T1+ Toyota Hilux. The first event based in Tabuk also has 12 T2 teams, five each in T3 and T4 and one T5 truck.
Favourite Al-Rajhi faces Nissan and Toyota rivals including Abdulaziz Al-Yaeesh, Al-Mashna Al-Ramali, Majed Al-Shammeri, Khalid Al-Feraihi and Qatar’s Abdullah Al-Rabban. In T2, Ahmed Al-Shegawi and Saudi Border Guard Team pair Haylan Al-Subaie and Jafar Al-Qahtani lead an entry including Emirati Isuzu driver Abdullah Al-Shamsi.
FIA Baja regular Dania Akeel teams up with Germany’s Taye Perry in an all-female T3 crew, against Saudi Can-Am drivers Saleh Al-Saif, Hamad Al-Harbi and Moaaz Hariri and Emirati Khalid Al-Jafla. Maha Al-Hameli leads T4 against Abdullah Al-Shegawi, Orjwan Ammar, Mohammed Al-Muhawwis and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Ajmi, while Ibrahim Al-Muhanna, Osama Al-Sanad and Raed Abu Theeb drive the T5 Mercedes truck.
Bikes and quads
Local rider Mishal Al-Ghuneim leads the bikes on his Beta 430RR against Mohammed and Sultan Al-Balooshi, Bahrain’s Salman Farhan, Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Kaabi and Abdulrahman Al-Sheeb, Kuwait’s Sarah Khuraibet, Ehab Al-Hakeem and Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera. Haitham Al-Tuwaijri faces fellow Yamaha Raptor riders Abdulaziz Al-Atawi and Hani Al-Noumesi in the quads.
The rally starts with the ceremonial start and a short qualifying stage on Thursday afternoon.