– Akeel clinches Ultimate class title in FIA Middle East Bajas Cup
Overdrive Racing fielded two Toyota Hiluxes in the Qatar International Baja, the penultimate round of the FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups.
Saudi Arabian driver Dania Akeel confirmed victory in the Ultimate category in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup with a round to spare. She finished third overall and first of the registered championship contenders to set up the prospect of winning the overall regional title in two weeks’ time in the United Arab Emirates.
Frenchman Ronan Chabot was not registered for either championship but used the event as a useful pre-Dakar test to initially finish fifth. He lined up with Xavier Panseri after a late switch from regular co-driver Gilles Pillot. A missed waypoint cost him a 15-minute penalty and the Frenchman slipped back to 10th.
Akeel teamed up with the experienced Frenchman Sébastien Delaunay with whom she had taken second place the previous weekend at the Qassim Rally. She headed into the weekend trailing Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah by 11 points in the quest to win the overall FIA Middle East Baja Cup but had a 70-point cushion over Nasser Al-Ajmi in the Ultimate category. Al-Ajmi’s retirement settled the score in Akeel’s favour after day one in any case.
Akeel said: « Really happy for the podium. This is a good place to train for your driving skills. Today was nice but I lost quite a bit of time in the last 70km. I definitely need to work on that. Sébastien was great. It was tough with the navigation. Thanks to Overdrive. They prepared a great car. We have a good chance of a shot at the Middle East Cup now in Dubai. »
A tricky desert Prologue of 10.59km through a series of fences and over rocky terrain to the north-west of Lusail determined the starting order for the opening 220.31km special stage. Akeel and Chabot were classified in 14th and 17th positions.
When the starting order had been decided, they found themselves tackling the opening stage in the north and west of the country from 16th and 19th positions on the road.
Tricky navigation and rocky terrain were the main features of the opening special but it was a strong one for Overdrive Racing. Akeel climbed through the field to settle into fourth place and first of the registered drivers in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup, while Chabot held seventh overall.
Saturday’s action headed south into the remote deserts of Qatar and the special finished close to the spectacular Inland Sea for the first time since the event switched from a longer cross-country format to the current Baja itinerary. The final stage ran for 234.19km.
A series of small dune crossings and a run across sandy terrain brought competitors to the finish in the Sealine sabkha by the eastern coastline to the south of the industrial city of Mesaieed. Numerous drivers and riders hit trouble on the event’s traditional sting in the tail.
Akeel got to grips with the Toyota and found the event useful for practising both driving and fine-tuning navigational skills. She was third quickest with Chabot sealing fifth place with the eighth fastest time.
The FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups conclude with the Dubai International Baja on November 20th-23rd.
2025 Qatar International Baja – result (unofficial @ 17.00hrs)
1. Juan Cruz Yacopini (ARG)/Dani Oliveras (ESP) Toyota Hilux IMT Evo, 4hr 50min 30.6sec*
2. Martin Prokop (CZE)/Viktor Chytka (CZE) Ford Raptor, 4hr 53min 02.6sec
3. Dania Akeel (KSA)/Sébastien Delaunay (FRA) Toyota Hilux, 5hr 07min 14.0sec+
4. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL) Taurus T3 Max, 5hr 12min 59.3sec
5. Miroslav Zapletal (CZE)/Marek Sykora (SVK) Ford F-150 Evo, 5hr 31min 30.4sec*
6. Nouef Al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Aisvydas Paliukenas (LTU) Taurus T3 Max, 5hr 33min 36.7sec+
7. Sergei Remennik (UAE)/Aleksei Ignatov (KGZ) Taurus T3 Max 5hr 42min 02.7sec*
8. Lionel Baud (FRA)/Lucie Baud (FRA) Mini John Cooper Works Rally 3.0D 5hr 42min 18.1sec
9. Mohammed Al-Marri (QAT)/Szymon Gospodarczyk (POL) Can-Am Maverick R 5hr 43min 49.0sec
10. Ronan Chabot (FRA)/Xavier Panseri (FRA) Toyota Hilux 5hr 44min 29.8sec
*denotes registered for the FIA World Baja Cup
+ denotes registered for the FIA Middle East Baja Cup
Neil Perkins,