– Competitive action gets underway with a 9.9km Prologue stage
– Alvarez and Ferreira set to duel for FIA World Baja Cup supremacy
The Qatar International Baja will be officially flagged away from the iconic amphitheatre in Katara Cultural Village from 19.20hrs on Thursday evening.
Drivers and riders from 33 countries will tackle two days of gruelling competitive action in the Qatar deserts over the weekend with a Prologue stage of 9.9km on Thursday afternoon being used to determine the starting order for the first stage on Friday morning.
While local media attention turns to the presence of Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and a host of Qatari drivers, the event is also the sixth round of the FIA World Baja Cup and the two leading title protagonists, Fernando Alvarez and João Ferreira, both realise the importance of achieving a top result in the Lusail-based event.
Argentina-based Alvarez currently leads his Portuguese rival by 19 points in the overall Drivers’ Championship and is well clear of his other competitors in the SSV category at the wheel of his South Racing Can-Am Maverick XRS RR. His co-driver Xavier Panseri has a similar lead in his category.
Ferreira looks to have an unassailable lead in the Ultimate class and has replaced his usual X-Raid Mini JCW Rally for a Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR in Qatar. With third-placed Miguel Toril absent from the event, Edouard Pons, Khalid Al-Jafla, Amerigo Ventura and Diego Martinez will be aiming to close the gap and rekindle their title bids. Pons also holds a 19-point lead over Al-Jafla in the Challenger category.
Ferreira’s co-driver Filipe Palmeiro is second behind Panseri in the Co-drivers’ Championship. The Portuguese said: « I have been here twice before. The first time was with Yazeed Al-Rajhi in 2012 and in 2014 with Martin Kaczmarski. I have good and bad memories of the race. We rolled and crashed with Yazeed. The navigation is always challenging but I like this kind of race. There are very fast tracks with lots of rocks and punctures. »
While Ferreira concentrates on the overall title at the expense of the Ultimate category on this occasion, the top-seeded X-Raid driver Denis Krotov (Mini), Overdrive Racing’s Akira Miura (Toyota) and Czech veteran Miroslav Zapletal (Ford F150) will be aiming to challenge for outright victory.
Miura is making his first appearance in Qatar. The Japanese said: « The futuristic city scape (Doha) really makes an impression. I’m thrilled to have another opportunity to race in a Baja with the Overdrive Team. This time, I’ll be racing in a new model with a wider track and the tyres have been improved based on our experience in Greece. »
Fourteen drivers are registered for FIA Middle East Baja Cup points for a competition where Qatar is the second round of four.
Ahmed Al-Kuwari holds a seven-point lead over Saudi rivals Saleh Al-Saif and Majed Al-Thunayyan in the overall standings. Al-Saif is not in Qatar but Al-Thunayyan leads the Stock category for series production cross-country machines in his Nissan Patrol.
Overdrive Racing’s Dania Akeel is chasing Middle East Baja Cup honours in her Toyota Hilux, while the Saudi Can-Am duo of Hamad Al-Harbi and Maha Al-Hameli are concentrating on the Challenger category. Abdulaziz Al-Yaeesh and Nasser Al-Ajmi are also registered for the Ultimate section in their Nissan Patrols.
Akeel said: « I have some points in the Middle East Cup but I am not sure I will go to the remaining rounds. The plan is to get more seat time in the Ultimate car and that’s why I jumped on this opportunity. I finished second in the race in Saudi last week in this car, where it was very sandy with dunes. This event is known for its hard rocky surface and some dunes. I am looking forward to adding to my experience with every kilometre. If that lands us on the podium, I would be very happy for that. »
A large field of motorcycles and quads will tackle the stages in advance of the FIA entrants. Emirati Mohammed Al-Balooshi tops the field from closest FIM Bajas World Cup rivals David Megre and Pedro Bianchi Prata. Qatar-based Martin Chalmers suffered a set-back when he lost a wheel and took a tumble during a brief shakedown of his Gas Gas 450 RFR motorcycle on Wednesday morning.
QMMF Executive Director Amro Al-Hamad will be joined by FIA competitors Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, Alvarez, Ferreira, Ahmed Al-Kuwari, Diego Martinez and Dania Akeel at the pre-event press conference in the media centre on Wednesday evening. Motorcycle riders Mohammed Al-Balooshi, David Megre, Joanna Modrzewska and James Hillier will also be present alongside quad front-runner Haitham Al-Tuwaijri.
The amphitheatre being used for the start location in Katara Cultural Village was completed in 2008 and is a crafted balance between classical Greek theatre design and Islamic features. It was officially opened in December 2011 and has a seating capacity of 5,000.
On-stage action in the Qatar International Baja gets underway with a timed Prologue stage of 9.9km from 13.45hrs onwards on Thursday.
FIA World Baja Cup – positions after round 5
Overall
1. Fernando Alvarez (ARG), 184pts
2. João Ferriera (PRT), 165pts
3. Miguel Toril (ESP), 144pts
4. Eduardo Pons (ESP), 133pts
5. Khalid Al-Jafla (ARE), 114pts
6. Amerigo Ventura (ITA), 109pts
7. Diego Martinez (ARG), 108pts…
2024 Qatar International Baja – leading entries:
Ultimate:
200. Denis Krotov (KGZ)/Konstantin Zhiltsov (ANA), Mini John Cooper Works Rally 3.0i*
201. Salem Al-Dhafeeri (KWT)/Fares Al-Thefiri (KWT), Nissan Patrol
202. Miroslav Zapletal (CZE)/Marek Sykora (SVK), Ford F-150 Evo*
203. Akira Miura (JPN)/Jean-Michel Polato (FRA), Toyota Hilux Overdrive*
204. Dania Akeel (SAU)/Stéphane Duplé (FRA), Toyota Hilux Overdrive+
205. Abdulaziz Al-Yaeesh (SAU)/Omar Al-Lahim (SAU), Nissan Patrol+
206. Nasser Al-Ajmi (SAU)/Arunas Gelazninkas (LTU), Nissan Patrol+
208. Christiano Gabbarrini (ITA)/Erminio Nati (ITA), Mitsubishi Pajero
Challenger:
300. Diego Martinez (ARG)/Sergio Lafuente (URY), Can-Am Maverick X3*
301. Eduardo Pons (ESP)/Jaume Betriu (ESP), Taurus T3 Max*
302. Khalid Al-Jafla (ARE)/Andrei Rudnitski (LTU), Taurus T3 Max*
303. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Pablo Moreno (ESP), Taurus T3 Max
304. Hamad Al-Harbi (SAU)/Hugo Magalhães (PRT), Can-Am Maverick X3+
305. Maha Al-Hameli (SAU)/Oriol Mena (ESP), Can-Am Maverick X3+
306. Rashid Al-Muhannadi (QAT)/Szymon Gospodarczyk (POL), Taurus T3 Max
307. Anja Van Loon (NLD)/Floor Maten (NLD), Can-Am Maverick X3*
308. Khalifa Al-Attiya (QAT)/Enio Bozzano (BRA), Taurus T3 Max+
309. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT), Taurus T3 Max+
311. Nouef Al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Aisvydas Paliukenas (LTU), Taurus T3 Max+
312. Abdullah Al-Haydan (SAU)/Bader Al-Ajmi (KWT), Can-Am Maverick X3+
315. Ahmad Al-Muhannadi (QAT)/Tamer Al-Hizazeen (QAT), Taurus T3 Max
SSV:
400. Fernando Alvarez (ARG)/Xavier Panseri (FRA), Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR*
401. Ahmed Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Manuel Lucchese (QAT), Yamaha YXZ 1000R Short Shift+
402. João Ferreira (PRT)/Filipe Palmeiro (PRT), Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR*
403. Erik van Loon (NLD)/Hein Verschuuren (NLD), Can-Am Maverick R (EXP)
404. Ibrahim Al-Muhanna (SAU)/Faisal Al-Suwayh (SAU), Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR*
405. Amerigo Ventura (ITA)/Erika Mingozzi (ITA), Yamaha YXZ 1000R Short Shift*
406. João Dias (PRT)/Gonçalo Reis (PRT), Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR*
407. Stefano Marrini (ITA)/Silvio Valentini (QAT), Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR
408. Luigi Ricci (ITA)/Stefano Tiraboschi (ITA), Yamaha YXZ 1000R
409. Mohammed Al-Atteya (QAT)/Aleksei Kuzmich (ARE), Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR
410. Abdullah Al-Khelaifi (QAT)/Abdulaziz Al-Jabri (QAT), Yamha YXZ 1000R Short Shift+
411. Camelia Liparoti (ITA)/Rosa Romero (ESP), Yamaha YXZ 1000R Short Shift
412. Moaz Hariri (SAU)/Kirill Shubin (KGZ), Can-Am Maverick X3+
Stock:
500. Majed Al-Thunayyan (SAU)/Fahad Al-Sufyani (SAU), Nissan Patrol+
501. Abdullah Al-Rabban (QAT)/Hassan Ali Obaid (ARE), Nissan Patrol+
502. Jafar Al-Qahtani (SAU)/Hussam Al-Zahrani (SAU), Nissan Patrol
503. Mohammed Asiri (SAU)/Sulaiman Al-Orini (SAU), Nissan Patrol
504. Faisal Al-Sharari (SAU)/Mazed Al-Seedi (SAU), Nissan Patrol
*denotes registered for the FIA World Baja Cup
+ denotes registered for the FIA Middle East Baja Cup
Bikes (top 15 only):
1. Mohammed Al-Balooshi (ARE), KTM 450 Rally
2. David Megre (PRT), Kawasaki 450X
3. Pedro Bianchi Prata (PRT), Honda CRF 450 RX
4. Abdullah Al-Shatti (KWT), Hasky Rally Bike
5. Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera (SAU), KTM Rally Bike
6. Rafic Eid (LBN), Gas Gas 450F Replica
7. Filip Grot (POL), Gas Gas 450 Rally
8. Slawomir Sypień (POL), Husqvarna 450 Rally
9. Joanna Modrzewska (POL), Husqvarna FE450
10. Hamdan Al-Ali (ARE), Honda CRF 450 R
12. Andrew Houlihan (AUS), Husqvarna FE450 Enduro
13. Ehab Al-Hakeem (LBN), Fantic Rally Factory
14. Jason Joslin (GBR), Husqvarna FE350
15. Tomasz Niedzwiedzki (POL), Fanatic 450 Rally
16. Abdulatif Mojadam (QAT), Husqvarna 450, etc
Quads:
101. Haitham Al-Tuwaijri (SAU), Yamaha Raptor 700
102. Abdulaziz Al-Shayban (SAU), Yamaha Raptor 700
103. Hani Al-Noumesi (SAU), Yamaha Raptor 700
104. Abdulaziz Al-Atawi (SAU), Yamaha Raptor 700
105. Abdulaziz Ahli (ARE), Yamaha Raptor 700
Neil Perkins,