Lusail: Denis Krotov and Konstantin Zhiltsov of the X-Raid Mini Team surpassed the overnight leaders, Dania Akeel and Stephane Duple, to secure their first victory in a captivating three-day Qatar International Baja event held yesterday.
In a remarkable performance, Mohammed Al Balooshi from MX Ride Dubai (KTM) executed one of the finest rides of his career, overcoming a 15-minute deficit to surpass his teammate Abdullah Al Shatti and clinch his second win in the motorcycle category, following a persistent gearbox issue faced by the Kuwaiti rider. Hani Al-Noumesi from Saudi Arabia (Yamaha) triumphed in the quad division.
The day’s competition included a stage measuring 251.10 km, which commenced to the east of Dukhan and traversed the western deserts of Qatar, ultimately leading to the dunes near Sealine and the Inland Sea in the southern region. The special stage concluded to the north, just south of the Al-Udeid Airbase, east of Mesaieed.
Dania Akeel, who was the first to set off, aimed to become the first woman to win a Baja-type event in the Middle East. With a lead of 1 minute and 32.9 seconds to protect, she faced intense pressure from Krotov right from the start. It took the Mini driver over 45 minutes to catch up with the resolute Saudi competitor, but he gained the virtual rally lead during the southeast run before heading towards the dunes and the Inland Sea. Although Akeel managed to keep Krotov within her sight for a significant portion of the stage, the X-Raid driver ultimately secured a maiden victory for the new petrol-engined Mini JCW Rally 3.0i by a somewhat generous margin of 30 minutes and 6.7 seconds.
A delighted Krotov said: “I am very happy to come back to Qatar and take the win with the new petrol Mini. This race is very challenging and tough for the driver, co-driver and the car. I am proud that we have the first victory with X-Raid in the new car. I am sure this project has a great future. Thanks to the organisers for an amazing race. Our crew was on the podium last year and now we have won.”
Akeel faced a cruel setback just before the stage finish when a broken steering arm forced her to abandon her pursuit of a second runner-up position in consecutive weekends with her Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux. Despite the challenges, she executed emergency repairs and managed to cross the finish line in fifth place.
This unfortunate turn of events allowed the Portuguese duo of Joao Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro to secure second overall and crucial FIA World Baja Cup points in their Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR. Their Santag Racing teammates, João Dias and Gonçalo Reis, completed the podium in another Can-Am vehicle.
In fourth place was Akeel’s teammate, Akira Miura, who finished sixth after incurring a late penalty for a tyre violation. Fernando Alvarez from South Racing earned valuable FIA World Baja Cup points by finishing seventh among the registered drivers.
Anja van Loon, who placed eighth in her Can-Am, triumphed in the Challenger category after Khalid Al Jafla received a late seven-minute penalty, dropping him to tenth behind Rashid Al Muhannadi. Qatari competitors Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and Ahmed Al Kuwari recorded the fastest times in the last stage for the Challenger and SSV categories, respectively. Abdullah Al Rabban claimed victory in the Stock category with his Nissan Patrol.
Local favorite Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah was unable to restart due to engine problems, while Kuwait’s Nasser Al Ajmi also faced mechanical difficulties. Both Salem Al Dhafeeri and Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh received two-hour time penalties on Friday evening for using off-road tyres that lacked FIA bar codes. Additionally, Al Yaeesh forfeited any points he might have earned in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup. Italy’s Luigi Ricci was disqualified for refueling his vehicle with team assistance in an unauthorized area.
A significant number of time penalties for route infractions were levied against many of the motorcycle participants prior to the concluding stage. Al Shatti, however, remained unaffected and commenced the stage with the objective of defending a lead of 7 minutes and 29.1 seconds over Badr Al Hamdan, following the retraction of substantial overnight penalties imposed on the Saudi rider due to a GPS error.
Contenders for the FIM Bajas World Cup title, including Mohammed Al Balooshi, Pedro Bianchi Prata, and David Megre, finished in fifth, eleventh, and nineteenth places, respectively. American competitor Terrell Thien withdrew before the restart due to physical exhaustion, joining a growing list of retirements that included Hanno Geyser, Mishal Al Ghuneim, Norbert Swietochowski, Han-Yeh Chiang, and Karsten Hoitz.
Al Shatti expressed satisfaction as Gregor Mikl and Polish rider Filip Grot overtook him to take the lead after the start, while the Kuwaiti rode alongside his teammate Al Balooshi. The four riders maintained close proximity during the southern leg, with Al Shatti employing a ‘safety in numbers’ strategy to navigate the final stage. FIM Veteran class participant Andrew Houlihan and Canadian Matthew Glade retired due to issues with their rear tyre mousse, while Muhamad Plicanic (Yamaha) and Frederic Fontarosa (Kove) also experienced breakdowns.
Following a refueling stop, Al Balooshi and Al Shatti distanced themselves from their European rivals as they approached the dunes and the Inland Sea. Al Balooshi then surged ahead of Grot and Al Shatti, while Al Hamdan, who had started in 36th position due to his time penalty, was performing well in the pursuit group until he encountered difficulties in the dunes. British rider Robert Wallace struggled to maintain his KTM and ultimately stopped to assist Mikl, who had crashed out of the Baja and was suffering from heat exhaustion.
Al Balooshi secured the stage victory in a time of 3 hours, 48 minutes, and 15.8 seconds, achieving a remarkable second win in the event. He had commenced the stage 15 minutes and 33.8 seconds behind his friend and teammate, ultimately pulling ahead during the southern leg to finish 23 minutes and 47.4 seconds ahead of Al Shatti.
Briton Alex McInnes rounded off the podium places and Pole Filip Grot and Rafic Eid finished fourth and fight after a gruelling two-wheel event held in punishing heat.
Al Noumesi fended off Abdulaziz Al Atawi to seal an emphatic victory in the quad category after lengthy delays for third-placed Abdulaziz Al-Shayban on Friday.
Action in the FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups resumes with the Aqaba-based Jordan Baja on November 14th-16th. The FIM Bajas World Cup continues in Portugal next weekend.
2024 Qatar International Baja podiums
Cars
1. Denis Krotov (KGZ)/Konstantin Zhiltsov (ANA) Mini John Cooper Works Rally 3.0i
2. João Ferreira (PRT)/Filipe Palmeiro (PRT) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR
3. João Dias (PRT)/Gonçalo Reis (PRT) Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR
Bikes
1. Mohammed Al Balooshi (ARE) KTM 450 Rally
2. Abdullah Al Shatti (KWT) Kawasaki KX Rally Bike
3. Alex McInnes (GBR) Husqvarna FE450
Quads
1. Hani Al Noumesi (SAU) Yamaha Raptor 700
2. Abdulaziz Al Atawi (SAU) Yamaha YZ
3. Abdulaziz Al Shayban (SAU) Yamaha Raptor 700
