Fernando Álvarez will miss the FIA World Baja Cup season opener this weekend as he continues to recover from a sciatic nerve injury he suffered at the Dakar Rally.

Álvarez was supposed to race a Can-Am Maverick in SSV with Xavier Panseri as navigator, the same combination that entered Dakar earlier this month. He had been running sixth in class through the first four stages with a best run of fifth in Stage #3, but withdrew during Stage #5 when he started feeling pain in his lower back and leg. Upon reaching the refuel point, he approached the medical team and was advised to withdraw from the race.

The symptoms have continued to persist in the weeks since.

“The doctors are still evaluating Fernando’s health. For now, they have put the operation on hold and are monitoring the how his injury recovers through kinesiology work,” reads a statement from his team Conarpesa Rally.

Although unable to enter the Saudi Baja, Baja Cup rules permit drivers to drop two of their worst finishes from the final standings. Missing races counts for these too, so Álvarez gets a mulligan in the points picture. With the next race, the Jordan Baja, not being until April, he has plenty of time to recover.

Álvarez is the defending World Baja Cup SSV champion and overall runner-up. He won his class four times in 2024, including the Saudi Baja.

Featured image credit: Florent Gooden / DPPI