Toyota Hilux driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi and German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz lead a 42-car field into this weekend’s Rally Aseer 2022, opening round of the 2022 Saudi Toyota Rally Championship, based in Abha in Saudi Arabia’s south-western Aseer Province.
Von Zitzewitz stands in for Al-Rajhi’s regular co-driver Michael Orr, who is still recovering from a fractured fibula suffered at Baja Poland earlier this month.
The event is organised by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) with the Ministry of Sport, the Saudi Motorsport Marshals Club and the Saudi Motorsport Company, in partnership with Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) Motors Toyota.
The series was first held in 2019, when Al-Rajhi clinched the inaugural title at the Sharqiya Baja. This weekend marks its return after a two-year absence, the first of four SAMF rounds, followed by Rally Qassim (October 12-14), the Ha’il Baja (November 10-12) and the Jeddah Rally (December 15-17).
The contenders
Al-Rajhi, a multiple cross-country winner at home, starts as favourite. His closest rival is likely to be Czech veteran Miroslav Zapletal and Slovak co-driver Marek Sykora in their self-built Ford F-150 Evo.
Twenty-three cars are entered in T1, with further competition from Saudi drivers including Muneef Al-Salmani, Khalid Al-Feraihi, Mutair, Sami and Al-Mashna Al-Shammeri and Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri, who partners Peruvian co-driver Hector Garcia.
Thirteen Saudi drivers contest FIA T2 for series-production cross-country vehicles, with Ahmed Al-Shegawi, Jafar Al-Qahtani and Khalid Al-Hamazani likely front-runners.
Experienced Saleh Al-Saif switches from international competition to head FIA T3 in his Black Horse Can-Am Maverick X3 with Spain’s Oriol Vidal. He faces Dania Akeel (Can-Am) and Uruguayan navigator Sergio Lafuente, plus two Al-Shegawi Racing machines for Hamad Al-Harbi and Abdullah Al-Shegawi.
Drifting specialist and regular cross-country driver Saeed Al-Mouri partners Jordan’s Ata Al-Hmoud to head FIA T4 in his Can-Am, where he faces Saudi driver Maha Al-Hameli and her Spanish co-driver Maria de Los Angeles.
The route
Rally Aseer 2022 is based at the Abha Palace Hotel and runs under the chairmanship of H.R.H. Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal and the supervision of former FIA Middle East rally champion Abdullah Bakhashab.
Competition takes place over two high-altitude selective sections on Friday and Saturday, totalling 372.19 competitive kilometres in a 769.10km route. The opening 183.83km stage is split into two sections between Al-Ghadah and Al-Qaah on Friday, and the longer 188.36km second stage runs between Tareeb and Al-Qaah.
On Thursday, selected drivers attend the official pre-event press conference at 17.20hrs at the Abha Palace Hotel before the ceremonial start at Sama Abha Parks from 19.00hrs.