By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
The Auto Magazine
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
    Auto ShowsShow More
    Maserati enthrals at FuoriConcorso with GT2 Stradale and MCXtrema
    May 14, 2025
    Leapmotor presents its range at Automobile Barcelona, Spain
    May 14, 2025
    Alfa Romeo sporting glory dominates “Fuori Concorso”
    May 13, 2025
    Market Art Fair Stockholm and BMW Sweden present Gregor Hildebrandt as artist for BMW Art Commission 2025
    May 13, 2025
    Driving Trade Forward: AfCFTA, AGOA,BRICS and the Tariffs – All On The Menu At Automechanika CEO Breakfast
    May 9, 2025
  • Bikes
    BikesShow More
    Desmo450 MX: Production of the first Ducati Motocross bike begins
    May 28, 2025
    25YM Honda NC750X
    May 13, 2025
    BMW Motorrad presents the new BMW R 1300 RS
    May 2, 2025
    BMW Motorrad presents the new BMW R 1300 RT
    April 30, 2025
    Honda NC750X Named Winner in 2025 Red Dot Design Award
    April 10, 2025
  • News
    NewsShow More
    Toyota Mobility Foundation announces five finalists for $3 million Venice Sustainable Cities Challenge
    May 29, 2025
    Mazda Production and Sales Results for April 2025
    May 29, 2025
    Nissan production, sales, and exports for April 2025
    May 29, 2025
    Honda Production, Sales and Export Results for April, 2025
    May 29, 2025
    Škoda Auto marks 55 years since production of the Skopak began in Pakistan
    May 29, 2025
  • Concepts
    ConceptsShow More
    FIAT unveils the manifesto Grande Panda 4×4
    May 20, 2025
    Renault 4 Savane 4×4 Concept makes its global debut at Roland-Garros 2025
    May 16, 2025
    Hyundai Motor and Plus Unveil Concept for Autonomous Hydrogen Freight Ecosystem at ACT Expo 202
    May 2, 2025
    Hyundai Motor Unveils the new IONIQ 6 and IONIQ 6 N Line
    April 5, 2025
    Kia and LG Electronics Partner to Showcase New PBV Concepts for Work and Play
    April 4, 2025
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    Kosmas “Dudie” Mamaloukos – The Formidable Racing Talent
    May 15, 2025
    Hi-Range Safari City
    Hi-Range Safari City – The Premier outfitter for 4×4 customization
    May 15, 2025
    BEHIND THE SCENES: ARCHIE RUTHERFORD ON WHAT IT TAKES TO BRING THE W2RC TO SOUTH AFRICA
    May 9, 2025
    Europe and China’s automotive future in a shifting global order
    May 5, 2025
    Sourcing Guide Right-Hand Drive American SUVs and Pickup Trucks in Africa
    April 29, 2025
  • EVs
    EVsShow More
    SEAT S.A. moves towards electric car production in Martorell
    May 29, 2025
    Polestar 3 wins Best EV SUV and Luxury Car of the Year awards
    May 29, 2025
    All-New Nissan MICRA EV debuts ahead of European launch
    May 28, 2025
    BMW Group and Solid Power are testing all-solid-state battery cells in a BMW i7
    May 20, 2025
    Toyota Debuts Stylish, Powerful 2026 C-HR Battery Electric Vehicle
    May 18, 2025
  • Motosport
    MotosportShow More
    43rd Rally Due Valli: Lancia Ignites Verona with a High-Tension Challenge
    May 29, 2025
    Lærke Rønn, Alexia Danielsson, Rasmus Vendelbo, Porsche Sprint Challenge Scandinavia, 2025, Porsche AG
    The schoolgirl who’s just won her debut GT race
    May 28, 2025
    Porsche with new qualifying record and ongoing points streak ahead of China
    May 28, 2025
    Nissan Formula E Team looking to reinforce championship lead in Shanghai
    May 28, 2025
    Opel Mokka GSE Rally: A New Star in Electric Rallying
    May 28, 2025
  • Trucks & Buses
    Trucks & BusesShow More
    MAN development team for autonomous driving is ‘Engineering Team of the Year’
    May 29, 2025
    Scania to start deliveries of new electric buses to northern Sweden
    May 29, 2025
    From left to right: Jens Böther, Regional Council; Nikolas Wenzel, Managing Director of MOIN; Claudia Kalisch, Mayor of Lüneburg; Alex Meier, Depot Manager; Nils Richert, Daimler Buses
    Daimler Buses builds a completely new electric bus depot for a customer for the first time
    May 28, 2025
    600 km range and superfast charging – meet Volvo’s new electric truck
    May 20, 2025
    Vandijck Transport tests the eActros 600 on a long-haul route of over 1,500 kilometers
    Vandijck Transport tests the eActros 600 
    May 18, 2025
  • Reviews
    ReviewsShow More
    GR Supra pushes performance limits with A90 Final Edition and Lightweight EVO
    May 28, 2025
    The new BMW M2 CS
    May 28, 2025
    Defender upgraded: The unstoppable 4×4 is now even more distinctive 
    May 28, 2025
    From vision to Veyron: the evolution of a Bugatti icon
    May 17, 2025
    The new Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series
    May 13, 2025
  • Tech
    TechShow More
    VNC Automotive Partners with P3 to Enhance the SPARQ OS Platform
    May 29, 2025
    Artificial intelligence: Audi boosts production efficiency
    May 28, 2025
    Greater efficiency and productivity with artificial intelligence – generative AI in BMW Group Purchasing
    May 19, 2025
    Aston Martin debuts Apple CarPlay Ultra for iPhone users
    May 16, 2025
    Mercedes-Benz customers in Germany can now purchase and pay for e-Vignettes directly from their vehicle
    May 15, 2025
Hot News
SEAT S.A. moves towards electric car production in Martorell
Toyota Mobility Foundation announces five finalists for $3 million Venice Sustainable Cities Challenge
43rd Rally Due Valli: Lancia Ignites Verona with a High-Tension Challenge
Polestar 3 wins Best EV SUV and Luxury Car of the Year awards
Mazda Production and Sales Results for April 2025
Electric Vehicles

Volkswagen merges charging and fueling services under new company

Latest News

Mazda Accelerates R&D of Rotary Engines Adapted to New Era

Motosport

THÉO POURCHAIRE DRIVES THE DS FORMULA E CAR!

Latest NewsTechnology

P3 helps car OEMs and other innovators to reduce time to market

Font ResizerAa
The Auto MagazineThe Auto Magazine
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
  • Bikes
  • News
  • Concepts
  • Interviews
  • EVs
  • Motosport
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Reviews
  • Tech
Search
  • Home
  • Auto Shows
  • Bikes
  • News
  • Concepts
  • Interviews
  • EVs
  • Motosport
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Reviews
  • Tech
Follow US
Crafted by Intellegere Media. © 2024 The Auto Magazine. All rights reserved.
Motosport

2024 FIA-FIM WORLD RALLY-RAID CHAMPIONSHIP PAYBACK TIME

Itumeleng Garebatshabe
Last updated: February 20, 2024 21:10
By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
477 Views
8 Min Read
Share
8 Min Read
SHARE

FIA: AL ATTIYAH AND AL RAJHI UP FOR A REMATCH

The men who shut out the rest of the field in the 2023 season, Al Attiyah (3 victories) and Al Rajhi (2 victories), flunked their first test in the Dakar. The Saudi did a barrel roll in the Empty Quarter and was unable to start the following stage due to a damaged roll cage, although he did take his car to the parc fermé in Yanbu for the finale. Meanwhile, the Qatari succumbed to a mechanical a couple of days later, after stage 8. In accordance with the new regulations that came into force for 2024, their point hauls for finishing in the top 5 of stages were not wiped out. This change could not have come at a better time for the 2023 W2RC no. 1 and no. 2! Al Attiyah sits eighth overall with 18 points to his name, while Al Rajhi lies in twelfth place with 14, limiting the damage and fanning their hopes of clawing back into contention in the ADDC. It will be a full-blown rematch between the titans of the previous season.

Contents
FIA: AL ATTIYAH AND AL RAJHI UP FOR A REMATCHFIM: BRANCH CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF

It is also a new beginning for the two-time world champion. Nasser Al Attiyah, who had been racing with Mathieu Baumel as his right-hand man since 2014, will tackle his first outing with Édouard Boulanger, who used to navigate for Stéphane Peterhansel. The Qatari will not be the lone Hunter driver, as the Baumgart Bros. (X Rally Team Motorsports) will also be racing with Prodrive support, fighting at his side for the manufacturers’ title.

- Advertisement -
Ad image

Behind the overall leader, Carlos Sainz (76 points), two men hit the ground running in the inaugural round of the 2024 season: Guillaume de Mevius (58 points) and Guerlain Chicherit (56 points). Driving their Hiluxes adorned with references to the American TV show The Fall Guy, the Belgian and the Frenchman are second and third. The two brothers in arms will be looking to bolster their ranks and settle the score anew. By finishing the Dakar ahead of the two new Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) factory drivers, Lucas Moraes and Seth Quintero, whose seats they aspired to for this season, they proved that they had what it takes.

Moraes (fourth with 40 points) and Quintero (nineteenth with 5 points) will be there too, again with TGR South Africa’s whiz kid Saood Variawa (eleventh with 14 points) at their sides. Juan Cruz Yacopini (Overdrive Racing), third in the 2023 W2RC, clinched the first championship podium finish of his career in last year’s ADDC. The Argentinian lies in fifteenth place with 11 points in the bag. Denis Krotov is behind the wheel of the fourth highest-ranked Toyota, seventh overall with 27 points. A total of nine Hiluxes will fly the flag for Toyota, with Lionel Baud bringing up the rear.

Martin Prokop, sixth overall with 27 points, is again lining up with “Shrek”, his trusty Ford Raptor (Orlen Benzina). The Czech came in second in the last two editions of the ADDC, right behind Peterhansel in 2022 and Al Rajhi last season. Pau Navarro will fight his corner for X-raid Mini JCW. Finally, Aliyyah Koloc (Buggyra ZM Racing) is entering the rally in her Red-Lined.

There are five lightweight prototypes on the Challenger start list, including drivers of the calibre of Rokas Baciuška (Can-Am Factory), second in the ranking with 68 points; Marcelo Gastaldi (BBR), third with 52; Nicolás Cavigliasso (Taurus Factory-Wevers), fourth with 50; Austin Jones (Can-Am Factory), fifth with 48; and Dania Akeel (Taurus Factory-Wevers), seventh with 22.

The top 3 of the SSV ranking have put their names down for the race. Yasir Seaidan (Race World) has 91 points on his account, Sara Price (South Racing Can-Am) 74 and João Ferreira (Can-Am Factory) 73. Sebastián Guayasamín (FN Speed) is fifth, ahead of Enrico Gaspari (TH-Trucks) and Ricardo Ramilo. The regulars Rebecca Busi (OnlyFans Racing), Antonio Cinotto and Claude Fournier round out the field.

FIM: BRANCH CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF

The Hero MotoSports works team has picked two of its Rally GP riders to defend the Indian maker’s interests in the ADDC. Sebastian Bühler, who got injured last season while building up to the Emirati race and hurt his vertebrae last January, will be looking to get his own back in his return to competition after bowing out of the Dakar. Hero MotoSports are pinning their championship hopes on Ross Branch, the only rider who went the distance with Ricky Brabec in the Dakar. Second in the first round and, therefore, in the championship, the Motswana has 30 points to the Honda rider’s 38. The airline captain also came in fifth in last year’s ADDC.

Branch is the odds-on favourite and has a clear shot at turning the tables and seizing the championship lead
after the second round. Michael Docherty (SRG Motorsports) is a force to be reckoned with in the Rally 2 competition. He is lightning fast on the dunes of the Emirates, his adoptive home. The South African won in his category in 2021 and went toe to toe with the pros in 2022, vaulting to the top of the standings after stage 1… only to crash out of the race the next day. The Saffa seems to have picked up a bad habit, as he also had to quit the Dakar in stage 2 last January. He will also be looking to turn his luck around in the ADDC. There are two main threats on his radar.

One is his own teammate Tobias Ebster, who clinched the ADDC Rally 2 title last year. Heinz Kinigadner’s nephew, who won the malles moto category and finished in the top 20 overall in the Dakar, has signed up for the entire championship in his bid to catch the eye of a factory team. The other one is Jean-Loup Lepan (Duust Rally), who came in second in the ADDC Rally 2 race last season and went on to finish third in the championship. The Frenchman will again share his stable with Konrad Dąbrowski, another common sight on the Emirati dunes. Jan Brabec (Strojrent Racing) and Jiri Broz (SRG Motorsports) are the other championship entrants on the start list for this category.

Finally, the quad race is Abdulaziz Ahli’s to lose. The three-time title holder scored a clean sweep in the ADDC last season. The Saudi Hani Alnoumesi, 7th in the last Dakar, wiIl try to defy the odds.

TAGGED:Al AttiyahAl RajhiCarlos SainzDakarHero MotoSportsRicky BrabecRoss BranchSebastian BühlerTobias EbsterX Rally Team Motorsports

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Stay Updated! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn VKontakte Telegram Email Copy Link Print
Share
ByItumeleng Garebatshabe
Editor
Follow:
Itumeleng is the Managing Editor of The Auto Magazine. He is a tech and car enthusiast

Follow US

FacebookLike
XFollow
InstagramFollow
YoutubeSubscribe
TiktokFollow
TelegramFollow
Google NewsFollow
LinkedInFollow
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

You Might Also Like

Motosport

It’s a Monster Energy Honda Team one-two-three on stage nine as Van Beveren takes the win

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
January 16, 2024
300 BACIUSKA Rokas (ltu), VIDAL MONTIJANO Oriol (spa), Can-Am Factory Racing Team, Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo, Motul, FIA Challenger, FIA W2RC, action during the Stage 10 of the Dakar 2024 on January 17, 2024 around Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. PHOTO CREDIT: A.S.O./Frederic Le Floc'h/DPPI
Motosport

DAKAR RALLY STAGE 10: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GETGOING

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
January 18, 2024
Motosport

BRANCH AND AL ATTIYAH CALL THE SHOTS

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
February 29, 2024
Motosport

A DREAM SHOT AWAITS DAKAR HOPEFULS IN BOTSWANA

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
June 19, 2023
#200 AL-ATTIYAH Naser (qat), BOULANGER Edouard (fra), Dacia, The Dacia Sandriders, FIA W2RC, Ultimate, action during the Private Test of the Dakar 2025 from December 31, 2024 to January 2, 2025 in Bisha, Saudi Arabia © A.S.O./F.Le Floc'h/DPPI
Motosport

Wind of change blowing with two days to go

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
January 2, 2025
46 BRANCH Ross (BWA), Hero Motorsports Team Rally, Hero 450 Rally, FIM W2RC, action during the Stage 3 of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, on February 29, 2024 in Mzeer’ah, United Arab Emirates © A.S.O/DPPI/B.Roux
Motosport

ADDC 2024 I STAGE 3 : QUINTERO HEAVEN-SENT, MARE HELL-BENT

By Itumeleng Garebatshabe
February 29, 2024

The Auto Magazine

  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
  • Bikes
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Trucks & Buses
  • Auto Shows
  • Latest News
  • Motosport

Made by Intellegere Media. All rights reserved. 2023

Don't not sell my personal information
Join Us!
Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
adbanner