– Competitors will tackle a Prologue of 10.59km on Thursday afternoon
– Leading drivers and riders attend pre-event press conference at Lusail
The Qatar International Baja will be officially flagged away from the iconic ‘Way to the World Cup’ landmark on Doha Corniche on Thursday evening from 18.20hrs onwards.
Competitors taking part in the penultimate rounds of the FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups and the FIM Bajas World Cup will also tackle a Prologue stage on Thursday afternoon to determine the starting order for the opening desert selective section on Friday.
Several leading drivers and riders attended the official pre-event press conference at the Lusail International Circuit on Wednesday afternoon in the presence of Amro Al-Hamad, Executive Director of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle (QMMF).
FIA World Cup Baja leader Juan Cruz Yacopini will be competing in Qatar for the second time in a Toyota Hilux and trying to defend his 22-point advantage in the Drivers’ Championship.
The Argentine said: « First of all, I am super happy to be here in Qatar. It is my second time. The strategy is to make a good race. I think navigation is going to be difficult. This is normally a key point in this Baja but I have a really good navigator (Dani Oliveras). We have a good feeling inside the car. We are racing a lot.
« It is going to be a nice race. A key point also is to make a good Prologue and decide the starting position. Maybe not at the front so we have some lines (to follow) but not that bad that it’s a problem. We had a shakedown today to get the correct set-up on the car. It’s a different terrain to Morocco and is super stony and very fast and we need to get the car in perfect condition for this race. »
Dania Akeel is chasing victory in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup against local adversary Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah. The Saudi is upbeat about her chances this weekend.
« Me and Khalifa, » joked Dania. « It was unfortunate in Jordan. I lost some points there that I really wanted. This race I will try to make up the gap. That’s the target. Qatar is a great race, very technical and a lot of variety. Khalifa is a local driver. so it’s going to be a nice challenge. I have a faster car but there are some rougher parts and dunes, some advantages for the lighter cars as well.
« Last year, here, was my first stage win overall in the Ultimate class. It was my first stage win in any rally. The team had changed the part (steering arm failure) after the shakedown. It was a lesson but not a lesson we love. Let’s hope it comes back full circle this year. »
Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari won the last stage of the event in 2024 and is representing the QMMF Team in a Taurus T3 Max. The former FIA Middle East rally champion is fourth in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup’s Drivers’ Championship and second in the Challenger section.
Al-Kuwari said: « I think we go as fast as we can and try and enjoy the weekend. It’s my home rally. I did the last two Bajas here. Good memories from last year. I think we will go for the win to be honest. A quality entry in all the categories, a lot of top drivers. We lost a lot of points in Ha’il and finished fourth there and then we did well in Jordan and won (Challenger). Still two rallies to go, so we have time. »
Mohammed Al-Balooshi won the event on two-wheels in 2021 and 2024 and will defend a nine-point advantage over his MX Ride Dubai team-mate Rafic Eid in the overall FIM 450cc riders’ championship.
The Emirati said: « We are leading the championship with two more rounds. It is important to secure the lead and then go to the last round in Dubai to, hopefully, win it for the fourth time and the third time in a row. Qatar is one of the most difficult events because of the navigation and the terrain. Our strategy is to take it easy, not to rush things and let the race come to us – like we did last year! »
Tomorrow (Thursday), motorcycles and quads will start the 10.59km Prologue to determine the starting order from 12.25hrs with the first cars following from 13.45hrs.
Competitors will then transfer to the iconic ‘Way to the World Cup’ landmark on Doha Corniche for the ceremonial start. This starts with motorcycles in reverse seeding order over the start podium from 18.20hrs.
2025 Qatar International Baja – updated entry list:
FIA
200. Juan Cruz Yacopini (ARG)/Dani Oliveras (ESP), Toyota Hilux IMT Evo *
201. Miroslav Zapletal (CZE)/Marek Sykora (SVK), Ford F-150 Evo*
202. Dania Akeel (KSA)/Sébastien Delaunay (FRA), Toyota Hilux+
203. Nasser Al-Ajmi (KUW)/Nuno Sousa (POR), Nissan Safari+
204. Ahmed Al-Shami (UAE)/Ali Hassan Obaid (UAE), Century CR6+
205. Martin Prokop (CZE)/Viktor Chytka (CZE), Ford Raptor
206. Denis Krotov (KGZ)/Konstantin Zhiltsov (ANA), Mini John Cooper Works Rally 3.0i
207. Khalid Al-Feraihi (KSA)/Ola Floene (NOR), Toyota Hilux IMT Evo
208. Lionel Baud (FRA)/Lucie Baud (FRA), Mini John Cooper Works Rally 3.0D
209. Ronan Chabot (FRA)/Gilles Pillot (FRA), Toyota Hilux
300. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Fabian Lurquin (BEL), Taurus T3 Max
301. Khalid Al-Jafla (UAE)/Andrei Rudnitski (LTU), Taurus T3 Max*
302. Sergei Remennik (UAE)/Aleksei Ignatov (KGZ), Taurus T3 Max*
303. Aleksei Shmotev (UAE)/Yaroslav Fedorov (KGZ), Taurus T3 Max*
304. Francisco Barreto (POR)/Paulo Fiuza (POR), Taurus T3 Max*
305. Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Bruno Jacomy (ARG), Taurus T3 Max+
306. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Stéphane Duplé (FRA), Taurus T3 Max+
308. Nouef Al-Suwaidi (QAT)/Aisvydas Paliukenas (LTU), Taurus T3 Max+
309. Ibraham Al-Muhanna (KSA)/Faisal Al-Suwayh (KSA), Can-Am Maverick X3+
311. David Mabbs (UAE)/David McBride (UAE), Can-Am Maverick X3
400. Mattias Ekström (SWE)/Emil Bergkvist (SWE), Can-Am Maverick R
401. Mitchel van den Brink (NED)/Bart van Heun (NED), Can-Am Maverick R*
402. Amerigo Ventura (ITA)/Erika Mingozzi (ITA), Yamaha YXZ 1000R Short Shift*
403. Hamed Al-Wahaibi (OMA)/Ilka Minor (AUT), Can-Am Maverick R*
404. Paul Severn (GBR)/Delphine Denfino (FRA), Polaris RZR Pro R Sport*
405. Hamza Bakhashab (KSA)/Marcin Pasek (POL), Can-Am Maverick R+
406. Mohammed Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Aleksei Kuzmich (UAE), Can-Am Maverick R+
407. Erik van Loon (NED)/Wouter Rosegaar (NED), Can-Am Maverick R*
408. Eugenio Amos (ITA)/Paolo Ceci (ITA), Can-Am Maverick R*
409. Maha Al-Hamali (KSA)/Xavier Flick (FRA), Can-Am Maverick R*
410. Dhari Al-Dhafeeri (KUW)/Ali Mirza (UAE), Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR
411. Nora Al-Jassasi (UAE)/Egor Okhotnikov (UAE), Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR
412. Abdullah Al-Khelaifi (QAT)/Abdulaziz Al-Jabri (QAT) Yamaha YXZ 1000R Short Shift
413. Mohammed Al-Marri (QAT)/Hugo Magalhães (POR), Can-Am Maverick R
414. Christiano Gabbarrini (ITA)/Alessandro Forni (ITA), Yamaha YXZ 1000R Short Shift
415. Camelia Liparoti (ITA)/Syndiely Wade (SEN), Yamaha YXZ 1000R
416. Erminio Nati (ITA)/Jacopo Casini (ITA), Can-Am Maverick R
417. Luigi Ricci (ITA)/Stefano Tiraboschi (ITA), Yamaha YXZ 1000R Short Shift
418. Anya van Loon (NED)/Hein Verschuuren (NED), Can-Am Maverick R
500. Fernando Barreiros (POR)/Jose Sá Pies (POR), Nissan Patrol*
501. Majed Al-Thunayyan (KSA)/Fahad Al-Sufyani (KSA), Nissan Patrol Y81*
502. Abdullah Al-Rabban (QAT)/Ali Ajami (ARE), Nissan Patrol+
503. Mohammed Al-Meer (QAT)/Alexey Mun (KAZ), Nissan Patrol+
*denotes registered for the FIA World Baja Cup
+ denotes registered for the FIA Middle East Baja Cup
FIM
Bikes (Top 20 only)
1. Mohammed Al-Balooshi (UAE), KTM 450 RR
2. Konrad Dabrowski (POL), KTM 450 Rally
3. Rafic Eid (LBN), GasGas 450 Rally
4. Sultan Al-Shanqiti (UAE), KTM Rally Replica 450
5. Philip Horlemann (GER), KTM Rally Replica 450
6. Abdullah Lanjawi (UAE), Kove 450 Rally
8. Michael Anderson (POR), KTM Rally Replica
9. Fréderic Fontarosa (FRA), Husqvarna FE450
10. Abdullah Abi Aisheh (JOR) Yamaha WR 450F
11. Harith Noah (IND), Sherco 450 SEF
12. Mohammed Al-Kubaisi (QAT), KTM EXC-F 350
14. Thomas Childs (GBR), KTM 450 Rally
15. Jason Joslin (GBR), GasGas RX450 F
18. Tony Shattat (GER), Yamaha WR 450F
19. Joanna Modrzewska (POL), Husqvarna FE450
20. Abdulrahman Al-Sheeb (QAT), Fantic XEF
21. Alex McInnes (GBR), Husqvarna Rally Replica
22. Oran O’Kelly (IRL), KTM Rally 450
23. Simon Marcic (SLO), Kove Rally EX
24. Jean Loup Lepan (FRA), KTM 450 Rally
Quads
101. Abdulaziz Al-Atawi (KSA), Yamaha Raptor 700
102. Abdulaziz Ahli (UAE), Yamaha Raptor 700
103. Yaghoob Azadi (QAT), Yamaha Raptor 700R
104. Hani Al-Noumesi (KSA), Yamaha Raptor
Neil Perkins,