Petr Pavel is visiting Saudi Arabia, but it has nothing to do with improving relations between his Czech Republic and the Middle Eastern country.

The Czech President arrived in Bisha on Thursday to check out the Dakar Rally and support his compatriots competing in it. Martin Prokop allowed Pavel to try sitting in his Ford Raptor’s cockpit, while Jan Brabec had him autograph his helmet, a tribute to Czech pilots who flew for the Royal Air Force during World War II. He also received a cap from Dušan Drdaj and Jaromír Romančík’s Cajdašrot Dakar Team, and met with Tomáš Vrátný and Fesh Fesh.

Officially, the visit has no diplomatic value. According to spokesman Vojtěch Šeliga, the Dakar is a private personal activity for the president’s recreation and his only entourage is a cadre of security guards. Still, his office is keeping contact should he have to leave for a political matter.

Pavel plans to spend “several more days” and get the full rally experience. Besides being in the bivouac, where he plans to stay in a tent like everyone else, he will follow the rally in a media car accompanied by photographer Petr Lusk.

“We managed to do something unprecedented,” began Lusk. “I invited our biggest motoring fan to see if he would be so kind as to come and see Dakar. He looked at the calendar and said he would go, which is great. No mistake.

“We offered him everything possible and impossible, but he insisted on a tent. The same one we have.”

While mainly known for his military prowess as the former Chair of the NATO Military Committee before taking office in 2023, Pavel is a racing fan who enjoys riding motorcycles on the road and at track days (even suffering minor injury after crashing his BMW R1200GS at the latter last May). In July, he christened Vrátný’s Tatra FF7 truck as part of its unveiling at Colours of Ostrava.

Featured image credit: Martin Prokop