Doha, November 08 (QNA) - Amid great fanfare at Flags Square on the Doha Corniche, the curtain fell Saturday on the Qatar International Baja 2025, marking the penultimate round of the FIA World and Middle East Baja Cup for cars, and the FIM World Baja Cup.

  The three-day rally was orchestrated by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), featuring participation from 101 teams.

Presiding over the crowning of the champions were Abdulrahman Al Mannai, President of QMMF, Amro Al Hamad, Executive Director, and Abdulrazzaq Al Kuwari, Secretary-General, capping off the event in a celebration that mesmerized all attendees and underscored QMMF's strategic commitment to promoting Qatar's tourism destinations.

Argentinian driver Juan Cruz Yacopini, alongside his Spanish navigator Dani Oliveras, rolled to victory aboard a Toyota Hilux AMT Evo, clinching the Qatar International Baja title after leading the overall rally standings with a total time of 4:50:30.6 hours. Yacopini then took a victory lap, delighting fans who had gathered along the Corniche.

Yacopini, competing in the “Ultimate” category, prevailed by a margin of 2.32 minutes over Czech competitor Martin Prokop and his compatriot navigator Viktor Chytka, piloting a Ford Raptor to second place with a cumulative time of 4:53:02.6 hours.

Saudi driver Dania Akeel, accompanied by her French co-driver Sebastien Delaunay in a Toyota Hilux, secured the third spot with a total time of 5:07:14.0 hours.

With this triumph in the penultimate round of the FIA World Baja Cup, the Argentine-Spanish duo of Yacopini and Oliveras solidified their lead in the global championship standings ahead of the final round.

Reflecting on the grueling event, Yacopini expressed immense satisfaction at navigating the challenges of the event, achieving victory, and reinforcing his top position in the World Cup standings. He emphasized that the final stage demanded utmost effort, particularly given the gap separating him from the lead, yet he marshaled every ounce of determination to dominate the competition.

From the very first kilometer, Yacopini executed a masterful strategy through the shifting dunes, culminating in a well-earned victory in a World Cup round he had meticulously prepared for throughout the year. He extended heartfelt gratitude to the organizers for orchestrating the rally at such a high level, celebrating his ascent onto the winners' podium.

Meanwhile, Saudi driver Dania Akeel, with her navigator Sebastien Delaunay, bolstered her aspirations to seize the Middle East Baja Cup title, finishing third overall in the general standings and first among the local Baja contenders.

The event further witnessed remarkable performances from Qatari drivers across multiple categories. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, alongside his Belgian navigator Fabian Lurquin in a Taurus T3 Max, captured the Challenger category title, finishing fourth overall with a total time of 5:12:59.3 hours, rolling to a hard-fought victory that reflected his mastery of the dunes.

Young Qatari talent Mohammed Al Marri, with his Polish navigator Simon Gospodarczyk in a Can-Am Maverick R, clinched the SSV category, completing the rally in eleventh overall with a total time of 5:43:49.0 hours, significantly outpacing Italian contender Amerigo Ventura.

Their performance gestured a victory lap of precision and endurance, heralding the emergence of the next generation of Qatari rally competitors.

Abdullah Al Rabban also ascended the podium in the T2 category, while compatriot Mohammed Al Meer secured third place. The final day saw the withdrawal of Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, who had been on the verge of stepping onto the winners' podium in the Challenger category following a minor incident.

Meanwhile, in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup standings, Qatar's Nawaf Al Suwaidi and Khalifa Saleh Al Attiyah finished seventh and eleventh overall, respectively, securing second and third in the Middle East points rankings.

Their performances capped off the event with a display of strategic excellence, further cementing Qatar's position on the international rally map. (QNA)