Migrant carers from India's Kerala await justice in UK visa 'scams'    Russia and Ukraine carry out attacks after Putin-Trump call    Israelis protest outside government headquarters after new wave of Gaza airstrikes    Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finally return to Earth    Harry's US visa records unsealed after drug claims    Saudi Arabia slams Israeli attempts to destabilize Syria through continuous attacks    Commerce ministry: Shoppers can refuse receiving shipment if product is defective    Saudi Arabia surpasses self-sufficiency in figs    Istituto Marangoni to open Riyadh campus in August 2025    621 car maintenance businesses operate under franchise system in Saudi Arabia    Meeting of emirs reviews enhancing security and achieving comprehensive and sustainable development "King and Crown Prince direct to make things easier for the people"    Crown Prince Historic Mosques Project restores Al-Abasa Mosque in Abu Arish    Civil Defense bolsters safety measures for pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah    Princess Reema bint Bandar greets Saudi Special Olympics team in Jeddah    AFC Champions League Elite Finals draw sets stage for Jeddah showdown    Cannes award-winning actress Dequenne dies at 43    Newcastle United ends 70-year wait for domestic glory with Carabao Cup triumph    Antenna: Saudi artist Ahmed Mater opens first solo exhibition in China    Al Nassr climbs to third with dominant win over Al Khaleej, Al Qadsiah slips after loss to Damac    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Man lives for 100 days with titanium heart in successful new trial    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Mini and Toyota teams top impressive international field for Bajas in Hail
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 08 - 12 - 2020

Fifty-four cars, one truck, 27 motorcycles, 25 quads and 35 additional cars running in a National category will take part in the two Hail Bajas that will run on Dec. 10-12 and 14-16 as the fourth and fifth counting rounds for the 2020 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas running under the ‘Hail Rally Toyota 2020' banner.
The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) announced the impressive entry on Saturday and competitors are now arriving in the Kingdom from as far afield as Russia, the European Union, Eastern Europe and other countries in the Middle East to tackle the two three-day events over challenging desert routes through the An Nafud desert. Two additional FIA entries will join the field for the second of the Bajas.
Russian driver Vladimir Vasilyev (Mini) and Dutchman Bernhard Ten Brinke (Toyota) will be locked in a duel to decide the outcome of the Drivers' Championship, leaving the path clear for several of the world's top drivers to challenge for outright victories. Ten Brinke currently holds a 1.5-point lead over his rival.
The Germany-based X-raid team has sent four cars to the event, which also offers an ideal opportunity for teams to make a final shakedown of equipment before the Dakar Rally in January.
Defending Dakar champion Carlos Sainz and French legend Stéphane Peterhansel lead the way in their Mini John Cooper Works Buggies. They are joined in the X-raid line-up by the Russian duo of Denis Krotov and Viktor Khoroshavtsev in their respective Mini All4 Racing and Mini JCW Rally.
Toyota Gazoo and Overdrive Racing have sent six cars to Hail as a final shakedown for the Dakar Rally. Qatar's Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah is a former winner of the Dakar and clinched victory in the Hail International Rally in 2008 and 2011.
He leads the way in a South African-built Toyota Hilux and is supported by five Overdrive Racing Hiluxes in the hands of the Dutch duo of Ten Brinke and Erik van Loon, Poland's Jakub Przygonski and local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi with Frenchman Ronan Chabot joining the team for the second event.
A five-time former winner of the Hail International Rally, Al-Rajhi is the defending Saudi Desert Rally Championship, having secured the title with victory at the Sharqiya Baja last December.
Main competition to the X-raid and Toyota teams comes from the Czech former WRC driver Martin Prokop, fellow countryman Miroslav Zapletal and the SRT Century Buggies of Saudi driver Yasir Seaidan and Frenchman Mathieu Serradori.
Saudi drivers dominate the lower reaches of the entry with 2020 Hail International Rally winner Saleh Alabdulali, Ahmed Al-Shegawi, Khaled Al-Feraihi and Essa Al-Dossari keen to impress against such a strong international field. There are also FIA entries for the Emirati driver Khaled Al-Jafla and the Kuwaiti duo of Salem Al-Dhafeeri and Mohammed Al-Thefiri.
There is strength across the FIA T2, T3 and T4 categories as well, with 13 Saudi teams aiming for success in the T2 category for series production cross-country vehicles like the trusty Nissan Patrol and Isuzu D-Max.
Six teams will compete for T3 glory: talented young Belgian driver Guillaume de Mevius leads the way in his South Racing Can-Am Maverick X3 and faces competition from local drivers Saleh Al-Saif, Ibrahim Bin Salamah and Abdullah Al-Shegawi, Russian Vasily Gryazin and San Marino-based female driver Camelia Liparoti.
Four Can-Am Maverick X3s and a Yamaha YXZ 1000 are entered in the T4 section. Poland's Aron Domzala leads the way from Dutchman Kees Koolen, Portugal's Lorenço Rosa, Qatar's Khalifa Al-Attiyah (brother of Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah) and Saudi Arabia's Hamad Nasser.
Ibrahim Al-Mohanna drives the sole Mercedes truck in the T5 category, while 35 Saudi crews and Kuwait's Meshari Al-Thefiri will tackle the National Rally that runs in conjunction with the FIA event.
Regular Saudi competitors such as Faris Khalaf Al-Moshna, Sami Al-Shammeri, Ahmed Al-Malki and Yayha Helawi will be hoping to earn success over the two events.
Baja Hail 1 will run over 592 competitive kilometers, while Baja Hail 2 offers 479 kilometers of competition and both Bajas are taking place under the supervision of the Hail Regional Development Authority in cooperation with the General Authority for Tourism and National Heritage and the General Authority for Sport. — SG


Clic here to read the story from its source.