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...
Engine failure! Bitter disappointment for Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk in Abu Dhabi
Further contributions
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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...
Back in action – good start to the second “Dakar” week for Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk reduce the gap in the overall standings to 7:16 minutes with fifth place on the day Ideal prerequisites for the journey towards the Empty Quarter: good starting position for stage seven Route from Ha'il to Dawadimi with two...
- 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 Championship races to reclaim the lead
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (February 27, 2025) – First not quite happy, then bad luck added to the mix: Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk lost their championship lead after a technical retirement at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. At the rally through the United Arab Emirates, which they do not like, an engine failure led to an early end – at kilometer 13 of all places on the final day. Instead of a possible fourth place in the second round of the FIA Cross Country Rally World Championship (W2RC), the “Dakar” winners were left with a near “zero”. The W2RC lead went to rally winners Nasser Al-Attiyah/Edouard Boulanger (QAT/FRA, Dacia), who are now 96 to 73 points in front.
Even the start of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge was not ideal for Al-Rajhi/Gottschalk. The Saudi-Arabian-Brandenburg duo struggled with electronics problems on the first stage and subsequently found it difficult to get into the special rhythm of the desert classic, which has been held since 1991. Nevertheless, by taking calculated risks, they initially improved into the top ten and went into the dramatic final day in sixth place, which would have given them fourth place had it not been for the engine failure.
Wipe their mouths, fix their “Dakar” crowns and reclaim the world championship lead in the remaining three rallies: That is the plan of Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk. From 18 to 24 May, the Rally South Africa will be a new challenge for all participants. Before that, the Baja Jordan (April 10-12) in the FIA Baja World Cup is on the agenda.
QUOTES
“It remains the same: the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is not our rally. We traditionally find it difficult to find a quick pace for the very special dunes. Nevertheless, we could have scored a lot of points here – but the engine failure prevented that. However, we have the chance to regain the lost championship lead in the remaining three rallies.”
YAZEED AL-RAJHI
“We were about to get the best out of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, which we didn’t like, to defend our championship lead and collect a lot of points. The engine failure put a definite spanner in the works. So be it: we will do everything we can in the remaining three rallies to reclaim the championship lead. In the end, you have to be in front. That’s what we intend to do.”
TIMO GOTTSCHALK