Overdrive Racing’s Dania Akeel and her French navigator Sébastien Delaunay maintained their push for FIA World Baja Cup honours by finishing sixth overall, second in the Ultimate category and second in the FIA World Baja Cup points in Portugal’s 40th Baja Portalegre 500 on Saturday.
The sixth round of the 2026 FIA World Baja Cup attracted 63 starters and Akeel made her decisive move on the first of the longer selective sections through the Alentejo region of eastern Portugal on Saturday morning.
She climbed from 11th to fourth overall in her Jameel Motorsport-backed Toyota Hilux. The Saudi dropped two places to local drivers on the final stage but was able to pick up vital points towards the Drivers’ Championship.
Akeel and Delaunay arrived in Portugal holding third and second overall in their respective Drivers’ and Navigators’ Championships. Akeel trailed the absent Saood Variawa by 22 points and Mansour Al-Helai by just two points. Delaunay was just two points behind Al-Helai’s navigator Khaled Al-Kendi. Akeel held second in the Ultimate section with Delaunay leading the way in the Navigators’ series.
A short Prologue of 5.02km determined the starting order for the opening stage of 72.01km on Friday afternoon. Akeel carded a time of 4min 13.4sec and slotted into 11th overall and sixth in the Ultimate section. She duly started the opening 72.01km stage from Ponte de Sor to Crato in a similar position on the road.
Akeel clocked a time of 59min 07.7sec for the opening stage and slotted into 11th in the general classification and sixth in the Ultimate section with the overnight lead falling to Prologue winner João Ferreira.
The bulk of the competitive action took place on Saturday with a pair of selective sections of 172.08km and 186.18km between Ponte de Sor, Gafete and the finish ceremony in Portalegre.
Akeel was on a charge through the opener and the fourth quickest time enabled the Saudi to move up seven places in the general classification to fourth overall behind new leader Francisco Barreto, Gonçalo Guerreiro and Lionel Baud.
The third stage was the longest of the entire event and the most demanding. Local driver Ricardo Porém clocked the fastest time but Akeel held her own to finish 11th and confirm sixth place in the general classification.
Action in the FIA World Baja Cup continues in the Middle East with the Qatar International Baja on October 29th-31st.
40th Baja Portalegre 500 – result (unofficial):
1. Francisco Barreto (POR)/Paulo Fiúza (POR) Toyota Hilux Evo, 5hr 28min 22.0sec*
2. Gonçalo Guerreiro (POR)/Pablo Moreno (ESP) Polaris RXR Pro R, 5hr 31min 31.9sec
3. Pedro Carvalho (POR)/Romeu Martins (POR) Polaris RXR Pro R, 5hr 36min 22.5sec
4. Luís Cidade (POR)/Valter Cardoso (POR) Can-Am Maverick R, 5hr 36min 51.9sec
5. Daniel Silva (POR)/Gonçalo Magalhães (POR) MMP T3 Rally-Raid, 5hr 37min 24.5sec
6. Dania Akeel (KSA)/Sébastien Delaunay (FRA) Toyota Hilux Evo, 5hr 38min 06.2sec*
7. Edgar Reis (POR)/Fábio Ribeiro (POR) MMP T3 Rally Raid, 5hr 38min 30.8sec
8. Mitchel van den Brink (NED)/Bart van Heun (NED) Can-Am Maverick R, 5hr 38min 41.8sec*
9. Ricardo Porém (POR)/Nuno Sousa (POR) Taurus Evo Max, 5hr 38min 52.8sec
10. Nuno Matos (POR)/Ricardo Claro (POR) Volkswagen Amarok, 5hr 39min 02.2sec
*denotes registered for FIA World Baja Cup,