With the 2026 Dakar Rally approaching fast, the Jeddah Baja offered X-raid the perfect opportunity to fine-tune their preparations. The German team seized the moment. Guillaume de Mévius and Mathieu Baumel delivered a strong performance in their MINI JCW Rally 3.0i and claimed a stage win. Meanwhile, Rebecca Busi made a promising debut in the new X-raid Fenic, immediately showing her pace in the Challenger category.
Strong form from De Mévius highlights Dakar potential
For De Mévius and Baumel, the Baja was all about getting miles under their belt and regaining rhythm. They hit the ground running. On the opening day, they put up a fierce fight against local favorite and former Dakar winner Yazeed Al-Rajhi. A puncture and some navigation issues cost them valuable time and even earned them penalty minutes. Still, they bounced back on day two. With a solid pace, they secured the stage win and finished eighth overall.
“This is exactly what this rally was for,” said De Mévius. “It’s better to deal with these things now rather than during Dakar. We reconnected with the car, each other, and the team. And we showed that we have the speed to compete.”
Busi’s debut in X-raid Fenic leaves a strong impression
X-raid also made its presence felt in the Challenger category. The new Fenic made its first competitive appearance, with Italian driver Rebecca Busi and navigator Sergio Lafuente behind the wheel. The pair got off to a strong start but also received penalty minutes after the first day, which set them back in the standings. Nevertheless, they delivered a solid final stage on Saturday and wrapped up the rally inside the top ten.
Busi looked back on her first outing with the Fenic with satisfaction. “The car feels really strong. I was a bit unsure beforehand whether I’d adapt quickly to this category, but my confidence is fully back. This was the kind of confirmation I needed ahead of Dakar.”
Looking ahead to Dakar 2026
With the Jeddah Baja closing out the team’s preparation phase, X-raid now turns its focus to the main event. The team will head to Saudi Arabia shortly after Christmas, with the start of the world’s toughest rally set for 3 January 2026.
The results in Jeddah show that X-raid is ready to take on the challenge. The MINI JCW Rally 3.0i continues to prove its speed, while the new X-raid Fenic made an impressive debut. Both vehicles and their crews look set to battle it out when Dakar gets underway.
