The 34th edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge kicked off today with an 11-kilometer prologue. In the FIA category, Nasser Al Attiyah (The Dacia Sandriders) once again set the pace, while Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy Honda HRC) was the fastest among the bikers.
Al Attiyah Stamps His Authority Again
Nasser Al Attiyah once again proved why he is one of the greats in rally-raid racing. The Qatari driver clocked a time of 6 minutes and 23 seconds, finishing ahead of Lucas Moraes (Toyota Gazoo Racing) and his Dacia teammate, Sébastien Loeb. This marks the third consecutive time Al Attiyah has won the prologue, each time with a different T1+ vehicle (Toyota Hilux, BRX Hunter, and now the Dacia Sandrider). His victory granted him the privilege of choosing his starting position for the first stage, opting to start 16th.
A notable performance came from Eryk Goczał (Overdrive Racing), who secured an impressive fifth place in his W2RC Ultimate class debut. Meanwhile, championship leader Yazeed Al Rajhi had a less favorable day, finishing ninth.
Khalifa Al Attiyah Breaks Through in Challenger Class
The Al Attiyah family had double cause for celebration, as Khalifa Al Attiyah secured his first victory in the Challenger class. With an overall 17th place finish, just 42 seconds behind his brother, he made history by achieving the first brotherly success in the W2RC. The Qatari driver outpaced Saudi competitors Dania Akeel and Yasir Seaidan, ensuring a Middle Eastern-dominated podium.
SSV: Gaspari Benefits from El Helei’s Penalty
In the SSV class, local favorite Mansour El Helei appeared to have won the prologue, but a missed waypoint resulted in a two-minute time penalty. This handed the victory to Enrico Gaspari (TH-Trucks), marking his third W2RC win. Michele Cinotto finished second, while 73-year-old veteran Claude Fournier completed the podium.
FIM: Schareina Remains the Master of Prologues
In the bike category, Tosha Schareina once again demonstrated his expertise in short sprints. Since making his W2RC debut in 2024, the Spaniard has won nearly every prologue, now adding the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge to his list. With a four-second lead over KTM rider Luciano Benavides and a thirteen-second gap to Honda teammate Ricky Brabec, Schareina secured victory and chose to start 10th in the first stage.
Rally2: Docherty Completes a Hat-Trick
Michael Docherty thrives in the deserts of the United Arab Emirates, and he showcased his prowess once again. The Dubai-based South African won the ADDC prologue for the third time, defeating Poland’s Konrad Dąbrowski (Duust Rally) and Chilean Ruy Barbosa (Xraids Experience). With his 18th career win, Docherty is now the third-most successful Rally2 rider in history.
Quads: Martinez Surprises Ahli
In the quad category, Abdulaziz Ahli was the clear favorite, but a navigation error cost him nearly four minutes. Frenchman Gaëtan Martinez capitalized on the mistake, securing his first W2RC victory and the first-ever win for the Chinese CForce 1000 quad.
Strong Performances by Kees Koolen and Puck Klaassen
Dutch and South African competitors also delivered remarkable performances. Kees Koolen (HT Rally Raid) secured 34th place in the FIM class on his Husqvarna FR 450 Rally with a time of 10m32s. In the FIA category, Puck Klaassen (G Rally Team) and navigator Charan Moore finished 44th in their G Rally Team OT3 (CHG T3.1), clocking 9m25.5. Both drivers delivered solid performances and are well-positioned for tomorrow’s first stage.
Looking Ahead to Stage 1
Tomorrow, competitors face a grueling 400-kilometer challenge to Mezaira’a, with 243 kilometers against the clock. The first bike will start at 08:00 AM (GMT+4), followed by the first car at 10:20 AM. The battle for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has truly begun!
