Less than two weeks after the finish of the Dakar Rally, the cross-country racing world returns to Saudi Arabia. From January 29 to 31, Hail will host the Saudi Baja, the opening round of both the FIA World Baja Cup and the FIA Middle East Baja Cup. The event, organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), attracts a quality field of 41 cars and 36 motorcycles to the vast dunes of the Great Nafud Desert.
Revenge for Al-Rajhi after early Dakar exit
The entry list reads like a who’s who of the rally-raid world. Yazeed Al-Rajhi and navigator Timo Gottschalk are registered as top favorites. The duo drives for Overdrive Racing in a Toyota Hilux GR and has won in Hail multiple times before. The Saudi Baja offers them a chance for revenge after their early retirement from the Dakar two weeks ago, where they were forced to withdraw in the fourth stage due to multiple punctures and injury concerns.
Their main competitor appears to be Nasser Al-Attiyah, the six-time Dakar winner who is experiencing an incredibly busy racing period. After his victory in Saudi Arabia, the Qatari also won the Oman International Rally last Saturday. Now he switches to a two-wheel-drive Optimus MD Rallye buggy for his participation in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup. “I tested the MD Buggy in Saudi Arabia and thought it was fast and had potential,” said Al-Attiyah, who enters with navigator Max Delfino. After Hail, the Qatar International Rally and Jordan Baja will follow for him.
Defending champions at the start
Dania Akeel, the defending champion in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup, defends her title in a Toyota Hilux Evo also run by Overdrive Racing. Together with her experienced co-driver Sébastien Delaunay, she must fend off her teammate Akira Miura, who competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC banner with Armand Monleón alongside him. Notably, the Japanese driver, who normally competes in the Stock category, now makes the switch to the Ultimate class.
Dutch entry and strong SSV class
Erik van Loon represents the Dutch colors in the SSV class. The experienced rally driver steps into a brand-new BRP Can-Am Maverick R for South Racing Can-Am together with Wouter Rosegaar.
The South Racing Can-Am team brings no fewer than three Maverick Rs to the start, with Fernando Alvarez/Xavier Panseri and Anja van Loon/Christiaan van der Rijsen joining Van Loon. The SSV class is the largest in the field with fifteen entries and promises a heated battle.
In the Challenger class, attention falls on Yasir Seaidan in a Taurus Evo Max, together with French navigator Xavier Flick. Omani Hamed Al Wahaibi also makes his appearance in a BRP Can-Am Maverick R, as part of his preparations for the 2027 Dakar Rally.
Route through the Great Nafud Desert
The event follows a classic Baja format with three stages. Thursday, January 29 features the prologue: a short 35-kilometer section with 6.25 kilometers timed. The results of this prologue determine the starting order for the two subsequent stages.
Friday, January 30 follows with the first full stage covering a total distance of 417 kilometers, of which 245 kilometers are special stage. The final day on Saturday, January 31 offers another 323 kilometers with 151 kilometers timed. The routes run through the Great Nafud Desert, known for its vast dunes, open sand flats and technical sections. Winter conditions and varying terrain place high demands on navigation and the endurance of both man and machine.
Strong lineup in motorcycles and quads
The motorcycle classes also feature a strong field. Mohammed Al-Balooshi, four-time winner and reigning FIM Bajas World Cup champion, defends his title on a KTM. The Emirati faces stiff competition from his teammate and rival Rafic Eid. In the quads, Hani Al-Noumesi, also defending champion, is the favorite.
Thirty motorcycles and six quads compete for FIM World Cup points, including seven veterans and two women: Polish rider Joanna Modrzewska on a Duust Husqvarna and Kuwaiti Sarah Khuraibet. The only Junior rider, Alex McInnes, is not only aiming for the Junior title but also targeting the overall classification.
Logistical advantage after Dakar
A logistical advantage for many teams is the short time span between the Dakar Rally and the Saudi Baja. Several teams left their equipment on site in Saudi Arabia after the Dakar finish to proceed directly to Hail, located in the north-central part of the country.
The race headquarters is located at the Millennium Hotel in Hail, while the service park, start, finish and parc fermé are situated at Hail University. Wednesday, January 28 features administrative and technical scrutineering. Thursday at 12:30 PM local time, the starting podium is scheduled in Al-Maghwat, followed by the prologue start at 3:00 PM.
With four FIA categories (Ultimate, Challenger, SSV and Stock) and a wide range of nationalities, the Saudi Baja promises an exciting preseason for the world championship. For the Netherlands, attention focuses primarily on how Erik van Loon tackles his adventure in the SSV class, while the title battle between Al-Rajhi and Al-Attiyah claims most of the spotlight.
The first stage on Friday, January 30 will immediately reveal who the favorites are for victory in Hail – and perhaps for the entire 2026 season.
