The first full stage of the 2025 Qatar International Baja immediately shook up the standings. On the 220-kilometre special across the northwest and western parts of the country, technical issues, navigation mistakes, and time penalties played a major role. Among the Dutch crews, Erik and Anja van Loon endured a nightmare day, while Mitchel van den Brink once again showcased his talent in the SSV category. On two wheels, Konrad Dabrowski lived up to expectations, and in the overall car classification, Denis Krotov claimed the lead.
Technical trouble for Van Loon Racing
Expectations were high for Erik and Anja van Loon after a promising prologue. Both started strong in their brand-new Can-Am Maverick R from South Racing, but misfortune struck early. For Erik, things went wrong after just 25 kilometres when the car’s temperature began to rise. “I backed off, but it didn’t improve,” he explained, disappointed. “After 32 kilometres, we had to stop. A stone hit the fan and damaged the radiator. This has never happened before, and now it happens with a brand-new car. What bad luck.”
Anja was also performing well and was even on course for a podium position in the SSV1 class. Together with co-driver Hein Verschuuren, she completed a sharp opening section until mechanical failure forced them out. “Two bolts of the steering rack suddenly snapped,” Anja reported. “That was such a shame because everything was going great. The car felt good, and the teamwork with Hein as well. A good result is no longer possible, but we’ll keep going.”
Both teams were classified with the maximum stage penalty time of 7 hours and 52 minutes.
Van den Brink delivers again
Mitchel van den Brink was the only Dutch four-wheel competitor to complete the day without issues. Alongside Bart van Heun, he guided his South Racing Can-Am to 13th overall and second in the SSV1 class, just half a minute behind local hero Mohammed Al-Marri. Van den Brink remains in contention for another podium finish in the FIA World Baja Cup standings.
Swede Mattias Ekström, yesterday’s fastest SSV driver, lost time and finished third in the class. Several favourites were plagued by punctures or navigation errors. Hamed Al-Wahaibi was forced to retire his Can-Am after suffering three blowouts.
Krotov takes lead, time penalties haunt Prokop
The overall car classification saw a fierce battle between Eastern European contenders. Martin Prokop initially won the stage in his Ford Raptor but received a series of time penalties, two minutes for a jumpstart and one minute for failing to stop at a neutralisation point. These dropped him to second place.
Victory went to Denis Krotov, who, together with Konstantin Zhiltsov, completed a solid drive in the Mini JCW and now leads the rally. The pair are defending their 2024 win in Qatar. Third place went to Juan Cruz Yacopini, allowing the Argentine to consolidate his lead in the World Baja Cup. “We had a good stage, Dani (Oliveras) did a great job. We can still push a bit harder once we trust the rear of the car more,” said Yacopini.
Following behind were Dania Akeel in fourth and Nasser Al-Attiyah in fifth. The Qatari star lost time early on due to technical issues but fought back well and now leads the Challenger class. His teammate Khalifa Al-Attiyah dropped time with a flat tire and suspension problems, while Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari kept his title hopes alive with the second-best time in the regional Challenger class.
Dabrowski dominates on two wheels
There was no stopping Konrad Dabrowski among the bikers. Starting 10th, the Pole overtook his rivals one by one. Despite losing his rear brake after just ten kilometres, he tore through the field and finished more than twenty minutes ahead of the competition. “I had a smooth ride, though I made a 15-kilometre navigation error. But I’m satisfied,” Dabrowski said.
Behind him, British rider Alex McInnes impressed with a second-place finish, ahead of Germany’s Philip Horlemann. Title hopefuls Al-Balooshi and Rafic Eid both had a rough day. Al-Balooshi lost time due to a loose GPS unit and a major navigation mistake. Eid also struggled with navigation and ended the stage in 16th place.
Strong ride by Luc Dumore
For the Netherlands, Luc Dumore delivered another solid performance. The Husqvarna rider finished the first stage 13th overall among the motorcycles, just 44 minutes behind Dabrowski. Dumore continues to hold his own in the midfield of this competitive field.
On to the southern dunes
Saturday’s second stage covers 234 kilometres, divided into five sections with short neutralisations. The route leads along Qatar’s southern border and promises a visual treat with dunes near the famous Inland Sea. There’s still everything to fight for from a Dutch perspective: Van den Brink is eyeing the podium, Dumore aims for another clean stage, and Van Loon Racing will be looking to make the most of the remaining kilometres.
