Toyota Hilux driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi and stand-in German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz clocked the fastest time of 1hr 43min 04.1sec to take an early lead at the Abha-based Rally Aseer, opening round of the 2022 Saudi Toyota Rally Championship.
The Yazeed Racing-run Toyota ran faultlessly through the demanding stage in the mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia, and Al-Rajhi reached the night halt 10min 33.1sec ahead of Czech driver Miroslav Zapletal and Slovak co-driver Marek Sykora.
Twenty cars passed technical checks, but only 19 started the slightly revised 182.10km opening selective section, split into two parts between Al-Ghadah and Al-Qa’ah. Muneef Al-Salmani and Fahad Al-Omar did not start on Friday morning.
The talented Saleh Al-Saif and Spain’s Oriol Vidal took their Black Horse Can-Am Maverick into the T3 lead and third overall on the return to Abha.
Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri delivered a strong performance with Peruvian co-driver Hector Garcia to hold fourth, while Khalid Al-Feraihi and French navigator Sébastien Delaunay completed the top five.
Hamad Al-Harbi and Alexey Kuzmich were sixth and second in T3 in the Al-Shegawi Racing Can-Am. Dania Akeel and Uruguayan navigator Sergio Lafuente were seventh overall and third in class.
Saeed Al-Mouri and Jordanian co-driver Ata Al-Hmoud stopped with radiator problems, handing the T4 lead to Maha Al-Hameli and Spanish co-driver Maria de Los Angeles. Al-Hameli also failed to finish the day in a second Black Horse Can-Am, and both crews received heavy penalties.
Saudi Border Guard (SBG) team driver Jafar Al-Qahtani completed the top 10 and leads T2 for series-production cross-country vehicles from Ahmed Al-Shegawi and SBG team-mate Haylan Al-Subaie.
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.
Saturday
Competitors tackle a slightly modified 186.73km second selective section, also split into two parts, between Tareeb and Al-Qa’ah.