João Ferreira and Dania Akeel verify FIA World and Center East Baja Cup titles on the Dubai Worldwide Baja

The change from the SSV class again to working an X-Raid Mini JCW Rally Plus within the Final part proved to be a grasp stroke for the Portuguese pairing of João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro. They clinched victory within the FIA World Baja Cup and the Final part by ending second total within the Dubai Worldwide Baja.

The three-day occasion was additionally the ultimate spherical of the FIA Center East Baja Cup and victory within the SSV class enabled Saudi Arabian driver Dania Akeel to safe the title in a South Racing Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR. Akeel had already received the Final part with Overdrive Racing earlier than the ultimate spherical.

Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Pablo Moreno declare outright Baja victory

Outright victory within the occasion run by the Emirates Motorsports Organisation (EMSO) went to five-time Dakar Rally winner Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and his co-driver Pablo Moreno in a Taurus T3 Max that additionally topped the rankings within the Challenger class.  It marked the Qatari’s third success on the occasion after wins in 2017 and 2023 with a Toyota Hilux and a Prodrive Hunter, though he was not registered for both of the FIA Baja Cups.

Runner-up and new FIA World Baja Cup champion Ferreira mentioned: “We completed second total and received the Final class and we received the World Cup. I’m tremendous happy with the group. We entered three competitions firstly of the yr – the Portuguese Championship, the European Cup and the World Cup – and we received all three. An enormous due to X-Raid for supplying me with a superb automotive and likewise to South Racing and to Santag Racing for his or her assist in the course of the season. Filipe (Palmeiro) did an incredible job in the course of the yr. Now it’s time to relaxation and put together for Dakar.”

Forty-six crews have been permitted to begin the eighth version of the occasion that changed the previous Dubai Worldwide Rally within the FIA calendar. The record included eight within the Final class, 17 in Challenger, 12 in SSV, three in Inventory and 6 working to 2025 technical laws In an Experimental class, though they weren’t eligible for the final classification.

Rivals have been flagged away from the beginning at Dubai Competition Metropolis by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports activities Council, within the firm of FIA President Mohammed ben Sulayem, Omar Abdullah Al Futtaim, Vice Chairman and CEO of the Al Futtaim Group, and His Excellency Dr. Amer Al Zarooni, CEO of the Al-Jalila Basis.

Minor route modifications noticed the 2 unique 195km levels lowered to 191.57km and 193.15km, respectively.

The 2 Experimental Toyota Gazoo Racing Hiluxes of Lucas Moraes and Seth Quintero topped the occasions on the Prologue stage that was held at Hatta for the primary time to the south of Dubai. They weren’t eligible for the final classification in any case and Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah was the quickest of the FIA drivers, the Qatari beating his brother Khalifa by 7.8 seconds.

Al-Attiyah topped the occasions once more on the opening stage to carve out a lead of 2min 15.1sec over X-Raid Mini’s Denis Krotov and the Qatari was third quickest behind Quaddy Racing’s Amerigo Ventura and Overdrive Racing’s Juan Cruz Yacopini on the second stage to safe victory over Ferreira by 3min 14.2sec.

Krotov and his co-driver Konstantin Zhiltsov rounded off the rostrum finishers in third place and the French father and daughter crew of Lionel and Lucie Baud gave the X-Raid Mini JCW Staff a 2-3-4 end with fourth total. Overdrive Racing’s Ronan Chabot and Gilles Pillot accomplished the highest 5.

X-raid’s group principal Sven Quandt mentioned: “What an unimaginable yr. It began with the Dakar. After three years’ preparation with Audi, we lastly received the occasion with Carlos Sainz. Shortly after, in February, we determined to work on a petroleum engine for the Mini and began growth with the automotive till we ran it for the primary time in Morocco. We had our first win in Qatar with this automotive and we received the Polish Championship, João (Ferreira) did unimaginable races this yr and he received the European Baja Cup, the Portuguese Championship and now he’s received the World Cup, his third title of the yr. Denis (Krotov) and Lionel (Baud) have been additionally quick right here. Now we will look ahead to the Dakar.”

Sixth place for Eduardo Pons was ample for the Nasser Racing Taurus T3 Max driver to safe most factors within the Challenger class and clinch the general title. His arch-rival Khalid Al-Jafla, the winner of the final spherical in Jordan, rolled on the ultimate stage. The South Racing Can-Am Staff’s Diego Martinez picked up factors for second in Dubai to substantiate a podium end within the total standings, though his co-driver Sergio Lafuente received the Co-drivers’ title.

Pons mentioned: “It was a difficult weekend. The primary day was powerful and complex. It was a giant combat with Al-Jafla after which he rolled on the final part. We’re the brand new champions. Now we concentrate on the Dakar with Nasser Racing.”

Martinez’s team-mates Fernando Alvarez and Xavier Panseri had clinched the SSV titles in Jordan two weeks in the past and have been confirmed because the runners-up within the championship by ending third within the SSV part (first within the FIA World Baja Cup) within the UAE behind Akeel and Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri.

Alvarez mentioned: “We obtained the factors and had already received the SSV class. I’m actually happy with my co-driver and my group of mechanics. We by no means stopped and we completed all of the races. Lastly, we have been second within the total championship. I’m very joyful and happy with our job.”

Czech driver Miroslav Zapletal completed seventh total in his Ford F-150 and did sufficient to complete as runner-up to Ferreira within the Final class. Dutchman Michael van der Brink impressed on his run in a South Racing Can-Am to complete eighth.

Amerigo Ventura incurred time penalties for failing to complete the opening stage in his Quaddy Racing Yamaha YXZ 1000 R. Santag Racing’s João Dias and Gonçalo Reis had completed on the general podium on the final two rounds in Qatar and Jordan they usually additionally hit hassle on stage one and have been closely penalised. Ventura bounced again to set the quickest time on the ultimate stage.

Dania Akeel wins the FIA Center East Baja Cup

Saudi driver Dania Akeel had already confirmed the regional Final class title earlier than the Dubai encounter and she or he opted to drive a South Racing Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR for the ultimate spherical with co-driver Stéphane Duplé. The choice proved to be an excellent one for the Saudi as she secured the FIA Center East Baja Cup with victory within the SSV class and ninth within the total classification.

Akeel mentioned: “With this end result we’ve received the Center East Baja Championship. Because of South Racing for coming by and serving to me out on this final race. The occasion was difficult with good dunes and plateaux the place he needed to change the cap rather a lot. It was an excellent navigation train. The Center East Cup was very aggressive and really fascinating.”

Qatar’s Ahmed Al-Kuwari had arrived within the UAE with a two-point lead over Akeel however the Quaddy Racing Yamaha driver was not in a position to match Akeel on the ultimate spherical and settled for a podium end within the title race after ending third behind Al-Thefiri in Dubai.

Hamad Al-Harbi completed seventh and did sufficient to win the regional Challenger championship. Fellow Saudi Abdullah Al-Haydan got here dwelling in thirteenth total and fourth of the FIA Center East Baja Cup contenders forward of Qatar’s Rashid Al-Muhannadi and Moaaz Hariri. Time penalties proved expensive for Maha Al-Hameli and she or he slipped down the sphere however nonetheless completed second in Challenger behind Al-Harbi.

Majed Al-Thunayyan and Fahad Al-Sufyani stormed to a different emphatic victory within the Inventory class for sequence manufacturing cross-country automobiles. They completed thirty second total of their Nissan Patrol, a end result which additionally earned Al-Sufyani the general co-drivers’ title and ensured that Al-Thunayyan completed on the rostrum within the Drivers’ Championship. Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Meer and Abdullah Al-Rabban failed to complete of their Nissans.

The South Racing Can-Am Staff additionally ran a trio of Can-Am Maverick Rs for Mattias Ekström, Erik van Loon and Sara Value within the Experimental class. Each Value and Van Loon picked up time penalties for failing to finish the opening stage after which Ekström retired on the ultimate day.

The occasion was held underneath the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Govt Council of Dubai, and ran in tandem with the UAE’s Nationwide Day celebrations. It was supported by official automotive companion Al-Futtaim Toyota, power companion ENOC and the strategic collaboration of the Dubai Authorities, together with the Dubai Police, RTA and Dubai Municipality.

2024 Dubai Worldwide Baja (closing end result – prime 30):

*denotes registered for the FIA World Baja Cup

+ denotes registered for the FIA Center East Baja Cup