Final review - Overdrive Racing's Al-Attiyah and Yacopini finish first and third in Saudi Baja-Hail 04.02.2023: Five-time Dakar Rally winner Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Andorra-based co-driver Mathieu Baumel maintained their terrific run of success to clinch a start-to-finish victory in the Saudi Baja-Hail, round one of the 2023 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Baja

Five-time Dakar Rally winner Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Andorra-based co-driver Mathieu Baumel maintained their terrific run of success to clinch a start-to-finish victory in the Saudi Baja-Hail, round one of the 2023 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas.



Their Overdrive Racing team-mates, Juan Cruz Yacopini and Spanish co-driver Dani Oliveras, overcame a first day accident to climb from seventh overall to secure the final place on the podium and give Toyota a 1-3 finish in Saudi Arabia.



Al-Attiyah was fastest on the Prologue and both selective sections through the An Nafud desert to secure victory over Polish rival Krzysztof Holowczyc by 15min 19sec. He had been triumphant on the Hail event for the first time back in 2011 and added two Baja wins with Baumel to his record in 2020 and 2021.



The Qatari said: “This is a good start. We were happy to compete here and to win here another time. The target now is Abu Dhabi, where we will face Loeb and the Audis. All good over the last two days, no problems.”



Argentine Yacopini recovered strongly from a collision with a spectator’s car at the end of Friday’s stage and was reinstated in third overall by rally officials before the start of the final day after 15 minutes were taken off his time. The Argentine took full advantage to set the third quickest time and confirm the final place on the podium.



Yacopini said: “After what happened yesterday, today was a really good stage. I feel really comfortable. The navigation was not easy but Dani made it perfectly. The car was perfect also and third place is my first podium in the Bajas. Now I go to Abu Dhabi in the next two weeks. It is a perfect warm-up.”



Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Dirk von Zitzewitz had been scheduled to crew the third Toyota at the head of the field but last year’s event winner sustained a minor chest injury after an accident on a recent skiing vacation at Courchevel in France and has been suffering from pain on the right side of his chest. On the eve of administration checks, the Riyadh driver confirmed that he had sustained a hairline fracture in his right fifth rib and incurred minor cartilage damage in the fall.



Al-Rajhi said: “Despite wanting to take part in the Baja in Hail, I felt severe chest pain, so I had to go back to my doctor and have more tests done. Initially, I was not diagnosed with broken ribs but I was diagnosed with edema (swelling caused by fluid trapped in body tissue), which caused the continuous pain. The doctors advised me not to take part in the rally until I get better.”



Predictably, Al-Attiyah was fastest on the opening 4.08km Prologue stage and took a 12-second lead over Saudi driver Saleh Al-Saif into the night halt. Yacopini erred on the side of caution and was classified in 20th overall.



The first of two selective sections through the neighbouring deserts started at Jubbah and ran for 230km to the west of Hail and across rolling desert, gravel tracks and some sand dunes.



Al-Attiyah cruised into a lead of 12min 05sec with the fastest time, while Yacopini was seventh quickest and moved into a similar position in the overall rankings.



Al-Attiyah said: “It was good. We did not have a big push. We just wanted to have a day without any problems. We have a good time. We decide last week to do this one and we will do Qatar and, if we have the time, we will do Baja Spain and I would like to do Jordan Baja for the first time and then Dubai.”



The Argentine was running strongly early in the stage until he was T-boned by a spectator’s car near the end of the special. He said: “It was not the best day. We had an accident 15km from the finish, but all is okay.”



The fastest and third quickest times on the final chilly 184km selective section enabled the Toyota duo to finish in similar positions in the overall rankings.



Overdrive Racing now looks ahead to a busy few weeks with the next round of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship in Abu Dhabi at the end of February and the second round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas in Qatar in mid-March.




2023 Saudi Baja-Ha’il – result (unofficial):


1. Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Mathieu Baumel (AND) Toyota Hilux Overdrive        3hr 56min 17sec
2. Krzysztof Holowczyc (POL)/Lukasz Kurzeja (POL) Mini John Cooper Works Rally Plus        4hr 11min 36sec
3. Juan Cruz Yacopini (ARG)/Daniel Oliveras (ESP) Toyota Hilux Overdrive        4hr 15min 19sec
4. Saleh Al-Saif (SAU)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) Can-Am Maverick (T3)                4hr 33min 28sec
5. Yasir Seaidan (SAU)/Alexei Kuzmich (ARE) Can-Am Maverick X3 (T3)                4hr 33min 37sec
6. Fernando Alvarez (ARG)/Xavier Panseri (FRA) Can-Am Maverick (T3)                4hr 39min 59sec
7. Pau Navarro (ESP)/Michael Metge (FRA) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo (T4)            4hr 42min 35sec
8. Dania Akeel (SAU)/Laurent Lichtleuchter (FRA) Can-Am Maverick (T3)            4hr 42min 39sec
9. Jeremie Warnia (FRA)/Loic Minaudier (FRA) Polaris RXR Pro R (T4)                4hr 43min 32sec
10. Otavio Sousa (BRA)/João Ferreira (PRT) Can-Am Maverick X3 (T3)                4hr 43min 47sec
*T1 unless stated





- Neil Perkins