2023 FIA World Cup Bajas: Nasser Al Attiyah wins round one at Saudi Baja-Hail Baja
HAIL (Saudi Arabia): 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.
