Kilometer 13 on the final day brings the end: Technical problem costs valuable points and the lead in the FIA Cross Country Rally World Championship (W2RC) Almost "zero" instead of fourth place in the unloved Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Looking ahead: three more World...
Almost-Olympic hurdles race: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk grab valuable World Cup points in Greece
Further contributions
Into the top ten – Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk with a solid performance during the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge
Eighth place with the prospect of a top five finish: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk cleverly manage the unpopular Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge ahead of the final two stages Focus on points instead of risk: "Dakar" winner with solid pace Lots of dunes with a tricky...
Surfin’ UAE – Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk start the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge as world championship leaders
With a "Dakar" recipe for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge: calculated risk at the second round of the FIA World Cross-Country Rally Championship (W2RC) "Dakar" winners Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk meet concentrated W2RC competition Terrain with the known and the unknown: dunes,...
Thumbs up, again: “Dakar” winners Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk start the FIA Baja World Cup with victory
Local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk win the opening round of the FIA Marathon Baja World Cup in commanding style Just two weeks after winning the Dakar Rally, the Saudi Arabian-Brandenburg duo are taking the momentum with them to the Saudi Baja Ha'il...
Stop the press! Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk win the 2025 Dakar Rally
After 4,906 test kilometers and 14 days: Home victory for Yazeed Al-Rajhi in Saudi Arabia Timo Gottschalk celebrates second "Dakar" triumph after 2011 Toughest "Dakar" ever pushes drivers, co-drivers and equipment to their limits Shubaytah, Saudi Arabia (January 17,...
Down to the wire – Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk go into the final day of the “Dakar” as leaders
The final sprint decides: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk take a lead of 6:11 minutes into the final 61 kilometers of the Dakar Rally Dune duel: Stages in the Empty Quarter make for a worthy finale in the Lategan/Cummings versus Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk fight 276...
Full throttle in the Empty Quarter: duel for the “Dakar” victory goes down to the wire
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk lose their narrow "Dakar" lead on the first stage in the Rub al-Chali Before the decisive final two stages: Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk 2:27 minutes behind Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings Good starting position for both duos on the long desert...
“Dakar”, fast forward – Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk take overall lead
From +5:41 to -7:09 minutes: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk take the lead in the Dakar Rally Third place on the day: courage and willpower are rewarded on the challenging stage to Haradh Particularly fast special stage over 357 kilometers with an extra challenge...
Stable in the pursuit: Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk consolidate “Dakar” rank two
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk use the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally to gain a cushion Late starters favored: gap in the overall standings grows to 5:41 minutes Long, demanding stage towards the capital: Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk do pioneering work in the final stage...
Jackpot at the Grande Casino – Al-Rajhi and Gottschalk within shouting distance of the “Dakar” lead
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk finish seventh on the day to reduce the gap to the leaders to 21 seconds Incorrect directions in the road book mislead all participants - sector time canceled Navigationally and technically tricky stage around Dawadimi through...
- Greek stone: World Rally Championship routes through northern Greece not ideal for the Toyota Hilux according to T1+ regulations
- The good of the earth: Predominantly downhill terrain demands material beyond the load limit
- No familiar winners: season opener winners Al-Rajhi and Gottschalk take third place in the ULT classification
Argos Orestiko (May 25, 2024) – Anything but ideal: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk scored valuable points for the overall standings in the FIA Baja World Cup at Baja Greece – despite a number of imponderables. The winners of the World Cup opener in Saudi Arabia had to overcome one or two hurdles and prove their tenacity on their way to scoring points in northern Greece. The narrow, World Rally Championship-like routes were anything but tailor-made for their Toyota Hilux according to T1+ regulations. The predominantly sloping special stages also proved to be an extreme strain on the brakes, including defects. Last but not least, engine problems and a puncture caused a major loss of time. As a result, Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk only managed third place in the ULT class and eighth place overall.
QUOTES
“This Baja wasn’t really tailor-made for us. On the contrary, we had to overcome a few obstacles to score any points at all. We did that despite our problems, and we can and must be satisfied with that.”
YAZEED AL-RAJHI
“We had a very different idea of the Baja here in Greece. The stages were rather too narrow for our large car, the undersized brakes caused a lot of trouble on the many downhill sections, plus engine problems and a puncture. Nevertheless, we can at least take something worthwhile home with the class result. The stages and the organization were really top overall.”
TIMO GOTTSCHALK