AGADIR (Morocco): Saudi world champion Yazeed bin Mohammed Al Rajhi is preparing to participate in the 22nd edition of the Rally Morocco, which is the third round of the World Rally Raid Championship. (officially abbreviated as W2RC).

The pride of Saudi Arabia in Motorsport, Yazeed Al Rajhi, will be accompanied by German navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz, replacing Michael Orr, injured in a car accident in Baja Poland three weeks ago.

However, it will be a new challenge to cross the desert from Agadir, in the southwest of the Kingdom of Morocco, to Tan Tan and AL Ayoun on the Atlantic coast.

On the first day of the race, there will be a qualifying stage. The race will last six days in five stages from 1 to 6 October, as there will be fierce competition among competitors across 2319 kilometers of stages, including 1,583 kilometers of special stages on the sand, gravel tracks, and golden dunes.


During a busy schedule for the Yazeed Racing team until the end of the year, Yazeed Al Rajhi will participate this season in three different championships, one of which is local: Saudi Toyota Desert Rally Championship, and the others are international events, FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Baja and FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). In the W2RC, Al Rajhi is ranked third and hopes to advance further.

The pair tested the new Toyota Hilux over two days in the Moroccan city of Erfoud, which is known for its huge sand dunes and geographic diversity. The Belgian team “Overdrive” prepared a new car that is similar to the one that burned in Baja Poland and is equipped with a V6 engine and twin turbocharger, unlike the one I raced in Aseer Rally few days ago.

In a statement, Saudi motorsport icon, Al-Rajhi said, “I’m looking forward to the Morocco Rally a lot!” 

“We have set up some settings for the engine and suspension before the car’s launch on Saturday.”

“I thank my team is doing an amazing job as usual. We are looking forward to winning this rally and there is nothing stopping us from doing so, so we need to focus and develop appropriate strategies to advance in collecting points. Our challenge in the Morocco Rally requires endurance and effort for man and machine alike. We have a long race ahead of us in the Moroccan deserts, and we hope that God will guide us on our way.”

“In his own words, Dirk von Zitzewitz said Rally Morocco would be challenging due to the Moroccan deserts.”

“Yazeed and I in the cabin along with the Overdrive team believe we have what it takes to win the Rally. We have all the factors to win, and I pray that God will be on our side. The world of motorsport is unpredictable.”