2025 could not have started on a better note for Yazeed Al-Rajhi. After winning the Dakar Rally in January to kick off the World Rally-Raid Championship, he claimed the Saudi Baja—also held in his home country like the Dakar—to begin the FIA World Baja Cup and Saudi Toyota Championship.

As he did at Dakar, Al-Rajhi had to battle with a fellow Toyota Hilux Overdrive for the overall win. Unlike last month’s battle that came down to the final stage, he had all the confidence at the Saudi Baja (also known as the Ha’il Rally) as he won all three stages. It is Al-Rajhi’s eighth win in the event after claiming it in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2022, and 2024.

Hiluxes swept the overall with Juan Cruz Yacopini and Dania Akeel right behind. Akeel’s third is also tops for those competing in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup.

Khalifa Al-Attiyah, Nasser’s younger brother, built upon the Taurus T3 Max’s dominant Dakar with a 1–2 finish in Challenger ahead of Ahmed Al-Kuwari.

Unlike in Ultimate, the Challenger and SSV winners are both Middle East Baja Cup contenders. Hamza Bakhashab beat recently crowned Dakar Classic H4 victor Erik Van Loon for the latter class win.

Russian Rally-Raid Championship regulars Sergei Remennik and Alexei Shmottev took part in Tauruses prepared by Nasser Racing. The former kept pace with the leaderes before “mistakes on our part” dropped him to fifth in class, while Shmottev was set back by a technical glitch in his ERTF navigation device early in the final SS. Since the FIA’s limitations on Russian drivers are still in place, they had Emirati licenses.

“I’ve long wanted to try rally raids, but a lot of things had to line up,” began Shmottev’s navigator Yaroslav Fedorov. “Unlike in classic rallying, where it’s clear how you can practice reading pacenotes, there was no opportunity here to test and practice navigation. The best I could do before this race was to prepare for it by learning all the symbols, watching every video out there, reading all the instructions on using the devices, studing the competition regulations, and so on.

“This lack of practice meant the only way for me to get into this discipline was through a driver who takes risks, understanding he would be racing with someone who was not very experienced and had to adapt very quickly.”

Like Al-Rajhi, Alex McInnes dominated on the bike side en route to his maiden rally win ahead of defending champion Mohammed Al-Balooshi.

Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, the head of the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation, rolled his Hilux on the second stage. Still, he reached the finish and even got to help out Francisco Barreto after his Taurus suffered an engine failure.

Al-Faisal was competing in the Legends class, which was not included in the final results for the Saudi Toyota Championship since it was intended for former winners and other Saudi rally stars to celebrate the Ha’il Rally’s 20th anniversary. Nissan Patrols and Can-Am Mavericks swept the National classes, the former including the Saudi Border Guard’s Sergeant Jafar Al-Qahtani beginning the season the same way he ended last year.

“The team’s achievement comes under the continued support and supervision of Director General of the Saudi Border Guards Major General Shaya bin Salem Al-Wadaani, along with a dedicated administrative and technical staff overseeing their preparation and performance,” reads a statement from the Saudi Press Agency.

FIA

Ultimate

Finish	Overall	Number	Driver	Navigator	Team	Vehicle	Class	Time	Margin
1	1	200	Yazeed Al-Rajhi	Timo Gottschalk	Overdrive Racing	Toyota Hilux Overdrive	T1+	4:28:15	Leader
2	2	201	Juan Cruz Yacopini	Daniel Oliveiras	Overdrive Racing	Toyota Hilux Overdrive	T1+	4:34:04	+ 5:49
3	3	204	Dania Akeel	Stéphane Duplé	Overdrive Racing	Toyota Hilux Overdrive	T1+	4:38:26	+ 10:11
4	8	202	Miroslav Zapletal	Michał Goleniewski	Offroadsport	Ford F-150 EVO	T1+	4:54:28	+ 26:13
5	17	206	Abdulaziz Al-Yaeesh	Omar Al-Allahim	Shegawi Racing	Nissan Patrol	T1.1	5:17:33	+ 49:18
6	18	208	Nasser Alajmi	Arūnas Gelažninkas	Nasser Alajmi	Nissan Patrol	T1.1	5:22:57	+ 54:42
7	19	209	Ahmed El Shamy	Ali Hasan Obaid	Ahmed El Shamy	Fast & Speed LS3	T1.2	5:25:55	+ 57:40
8	27	205	Salem Aldhafeeri	Fares Althefiri	Salem Aldhafeeri	Nissan Patrol	T1.1	6:54:05	+ 2:25:50

Challenger

Finish	Overall	Number	Driver	Navigator	Team	Vehicle	Time	Margin
1	4	304	Khalifa Al-Attiyah	Dmytro Tsyro	QMMF Racing Team	Taurus T3 Max	4:39:51	Leader
2	5	301	Ahmed Al-Kuwari	Augusto Sanz	QMMF Racing Team	Taurus T3 Max	4:46:17	+ 6:26
3	6	302	Saleh Al-Saif	Alexander Toril	Dark Horse Team	G Rally OT3	4:48:12	+ 8:21
4	9	303	Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari	Nasser Al-Kuwari	QMMF Racing Team	Taurus T3 Max	4:56:25	+ 16:34
5	10	309	Sergei Remennik	Aleksei Ignatov	Nasser Racing	Taurus T3 Max	4:58:28	+ 18:37
6	14	300	Khalid Al-Jafla	Andrei Rudnitski	Al-Jafla Racing	Taurus T3 Max	5:12:54	+ 33:03
7	16	308	Alexei Shmottev	Yaroslav Fedorov	Nasser Racing	Taurus T3 Max	5:15:19	+ 35:28
8	22	306	Hasan Alsadadi	Ali Mirza	R-X Sport	Can-Am Maverick X3	5:50:54	+ 1:11:03
9	24	307	Gerben Heisterkamp	Wesley Aaldering	South Racing Can-Am	Can-Am Maverick X3	6:00:16	+ 1:20:25
DNF	DNF	305	Francisco Barreto	Paulo Fiuza	Nasser Racing	Taurus T3 Max	DNF	N/A

SSV

Finish	Overall	Number	Driver	Navigator	Team	Vehicle	Class	Time	Margin
1	7	409	Hamza Bakhashab	Marcin Pasek	Hamza Bakhashab	Can-Am Maverick R	SSV1	4:54:21	Leader
2	11	403	Erik Van Loon	Wouter Rosegaar	South Racing Can-Am	Can-Am Maverick R	SSV1	5:00:09	+ 5:48
3	12	407	Abdullah Al-Haydan	Bader Alajmi	R-X Sport	Can-Am Maverick R	SSV1	5:01:15	+ 6:54
4	13	402	Mshari Althefiri	Michaël Metge	Mshari Althefiri	Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR	T4	5:02:04	+ 7:43
5	15	406	Moaz Hariri	Kirill Shubin	R-X Sport	Can-Am Maverick R	SSV1	5:14:50	+ 20:29
6	20	411	Paul Severn	Max Delfino	Paul Severn	Polaris RZR Pro R Sport	T4	5:31:17	+ 36:56
7	21	410	Maha Al-Hamali	Alexey Kuzmich	Maha Al-Hamali	Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR	T4	5:45:11	+ 50:50
8	23	412	Orjwan Alraoush	Khalid Al-Kendi	R-X Sport	Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR	T4	5:59:52	+ 1:05:31
9	28	405	Mohammed Al-Atteya	Enio Bozzano Jr.	Mohammed Al-Atteya	Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR	T4	9:34:16	+ 4:39:55
10	29	408	Abdullah Al-Shegawi	Raed Al-Assaf	Shegawi Racing	Can-Am Maverick R	SSV1	14:38:22	+ 9:44:01

Stock

Finish	Overall	Number	Driver	Navigator	Team	Vehicle	Time	Margin
1	25	501	Abdulla Al-Rabban	Ali Ajami	Abdulla Al-Rabban	Nissan Patrol	6:22:35	Leader
2	26	500	Majed Al-Thunayy	Fahad Al-Sufyani	Torq Racing	Nissan Patrol	6:23:44	+ 1:09
DNF	DNF	502	Mohammed Almeer	Fahad Alamr	Mohammed Almeer	Nissan Patrol	DNF	N/A

FIM

Bike

Finish	Overall	Number	Rider	Team	Bike	Time	Margin
1	1	4	Alex McInnes	Alex McInnes	Husqvarna FE 450	5:36:35	Leader
2	2	1	Mohammed Al-Balooshi	MX Ride Dubai	Husqvarna FE 450	5:52:47	+ 16:12
3	3	33	Abdulla Lanjawi	Abdulla Lanjawi	Kove 450 Rally	6:04:09	+ 27:34
4	4	41	Javi Vega	Javi Vega	Kove 450 Rally	6:04:59	+ 28:24
5	5	3	Rafic Eid	MX Ride Dubai	GasGas 450 Rally Replica	6:15:12	+ 38:37
6	6	37	Thomas Cross	Thomas Cross	Kove 450 Rally	6:31:35	+ 55:00
7	7	40	Hanno Geyser	Hanno Geyser	KTM 450 Rally	6:32:25	+ 55:50
8	8	5	Hamdan Al-Ali	Hamdan Al-Ali	KTM 450 Rally Replica	6:32:5	+ 56:19
9	9	8	Philip Horlemann	Philip Horlemann	KTM 450 Rally Replica	6:49:18	+ 1:12:43
10	10	6	Martin Chalmers	Martin Chalmers	GasGas 450 rally Replica	6:58:19	+ 1:21:44
11	14	42	Barry Howe	Barry Howe	Husqvarna FE 450	7:32:11	+ 1:55:36
12	15	15	Ibrahim Al-Jarallah	Ibrahim Al-Jarallah	Kove 450 Rally	:43:25	+ 2:06:50
13	17	9	Jason Joslin	Jason Joslin	Husqvarna FE 350	7:58:34	+ 2:221:59
14	18	13	Tony Schattat	Tony Schattat	KTM 450 Rally Replica	8:09:56	+ 2:33:21
15	19	36	Yaghoob Azadi	Yaghoob Azadi	Husqvarna FE 450	9:12:19	+ 3:35:44
16	20	30	Sarah Khuraibet	Sarah Khuraibet	Husqvarna FE 450	9:37:10	+ 4:00:35
17	21	31	Abdulrahman Almed	Abdulrahman Almed	KTM 450	12:01:126	+ 6:24:51
18	22	38	Stefan Mieczkowski	Stefan Mieczkowski	KTM 450 EXC-F	13:50:23	+ 8:13:48
19	23	18	Mohammed Al-Muaikil	Mohammed Al-Muaikil	Kove 450 Rally	53:05:52	+ 47:29:17

Quad

Finish	Overall	Number	Rider	Team	Quad	Time	Margin
1	11	103	Haitham Al-Tuwayjiri	Haitham Al-Tuwayjiri	Yamaha Raptor 700	6:58:24	Leader
2	12	101	Abdulaziz Al-Shayban	Abdulaziz Al-Shayban	Yamaha Raptor 700	7:00:07	+ 1:43
3	13	100	Hani Al-Noumesi	Hani Al-Noumesi	Yamaha Raptor 700	7:03:23	+ 4:59
4	16	105	Abdulaziz Al-Shammari	Abdulaziz Al-Shammari	Yamaha Raptor 700	7:56:02	+ 57:38
5	24	102	Abdulaziz Al-Atawi	Abdulaziz Al-Atawi	Yamaha Raptor 700	68:48:42	+ 61:50:18

National

Ultimate

Finish	Overall	Number	Driver	Navigator	Team	Vehicle	Time	Margin
1	1	705	Ahmed Al-Shammari	Khalid Al-Shammari	Ahmed Al-Shammari	Nissan Patrol	5:33:24	Leader
2	2	701	Khaled A-Shammari	Majed Al-Shammari	Khaled A-Shammari	Nissan Patrol	5:38:08	+ 4:44
3	4	714	Fahhad A-Fahhad	Yasir Al-Khuraif	Fahhad A-Fahhad	Nissan Patrol	5:56:48	+ 23:24
4	8	702	Owaid Al-Shammari	Ayidh Al-Harbi	Owaid Al-Shammari	Toyota Hilux	6:27:03	+ 53:39
5	9	700	Faris Al-Shammari	Saud Al-Tamimi	Faris Al-Shammari	Nissan Patrol	6:33:54	+ 1:00:30
6	12	712	Nazel Al-Shammari	Hamad Al-Sweedi	Nazel Al-Shammari	Nissan Patrol	8:46:58	+ 3:13:34
7	16	710	Farouk Gourad	Saeed Al-Shamrani	Farouk Gourad	Nissan Patrol	14:31:27	+ 8:58:03
8	20	713	Ayyadah Al-Shammari	Jamal Al-Shammari	Ayyadah Al-Shammari	Nissan Patrol	16:46:46	+ 11:13:22
9	21	706	Mubarak Al-Zbidi	Hoammed Innab	MAZ Racing	Nissan Patrol	17:01:21	+ 11:27:57
10	22	703	Fahad Al-Marmash	Fayed Al-Shammri	Fahad Al-Marmash	Nissan Patrol	21:45:00	+ 16:11:36
11	23	704	Hussein Al-Lapid	Abdullatif Al-Shammari	Hussein Al-Lapid	Nissan Patrol	21:45:00	+ 16:11:36

Challenger

Finish	Overall	Number	Driver	Navigator	Team	Vehicle	Time	Margin
1	3	802	Abdullah Al-Fahhad	Waleed Al-Fuaim	Abdullah Al-Fahhad	Can-Am Maverick X3	5:54:57	Leader
2	17	800	Waleed Al-Dakheel	Egor Okhotnikov	Waleed Al-Dakheel	Taurus T3 Max	15:09:30	+ 9:14:33

SSV

Finish	Overall	Number	Driver	Navigator	Team	Vehicle	Time	Margin
1	5	805	Abdulaziz Al-Saud	Hugo Magalhães	Shegawi Racing	Can-Am Maverick X3	5:57:30	Leader
2	11	806	Thomas Gugler	Laurent Magat	Thomas Gugler	Polaris RZR Pro R	8:22:44	+ 2:25:14
3	15	809	Mona Kurdi	Pedro Lopez	Dark Horse Team	Can-Am Maverick X3	13:04:16	+ 7:06:46
4	24	807	Nora Al-Jassasi	Abdullah Al-Shammari	Nora Al-Jassasi	Can-Am Maverick X3	21:52:30	+ 15:55:00

Stock

Finish	Overall	Number	Driver	Navigator	Team	Vehicle	Time	Margin
1	6	720	Jafar Al-Qahtani	Hussam Al-Zahrni	Saudi Border Guard	Nissan Patrol	6:04:02	Leader
2	7	727	Khalaf Al-Shammari	Meshal Al-Shammari	Khalaf Al-Shammari	Nissan Patrol	6:09:12	+ 5:10
3	10	721	Sufyan Al-Omar	Murdi Al-Shammari	Sufyan Al-Omar	Nissan Patrol	7:33:07	+ 1:29:05
4	14	723	Haylan Al-Subaie	Sulaiman Al-Oraini	Saudi Border Guard	Nissan Patrol	12:44:06	+ 6:40:04
5	18	728	Faisal Al-Sharari	Mazen Al-Saeedi	Saudi Border Guard	Nissan Patrol	15:13:36	+ 9:09:34
6	19	722	Ibrahim Bensahm	Moahmmed Dawish	Ibrahim Bensahm	Nissan Patrol	15:46:42	+ 9:42:40

Legends

Finish	Number	Driver	Navigator	Team	Vehicle	Class	Time	Margin
1	21	Abdullah Bakhashab	Sébastien Delaunay	Abdullah Bakhashab	Toyota Hilux	Ultimate (T1+)	4:40:10	Leader
2	24	Essa Al-Dossary	Marc Solà	Essa Al-Dossary	Can-Am Maverick X3	Challenger	5:30:53	+ 50:43
3	22	Ahmed Al-Sabban	Adel Hussain	Ahmed Al-Sabban	Can-Am Maverick X3	SSV	5:45:05	+ 1:04:55
4	20	Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal	Pablo Moreno	Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal	Toyota Hilux	Ultimate (T1+)	5:48:24	+ 1:08:14
5	25	Farhan Al-Ghalib	Tariq Al-Rammah	Farhan Al-Ghalib		Ultimate (T1+)	6:44:18	+ 2:04:08
6	23	Hamed Al-Wahaibi	Ilka Minor	Hamed Al-Wahaibi	Can-Am Maverick X3	Challenger	7:13:32	+ 2:33:22

Featured image credit: Yazeed Racing