Teruel (Spain): World champion Yazeed bin Mohammed Al-Rajhi is gearing up to participate in Baja Spain, the 40th edition of Baja Aragón, the third round of the 2024 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas. The event will be held in Teruel for the eleventh consecutive time from July 26 to July 28, spanning the Aragón regions of Gea de Albarracín, Jiloca, and Teruel.

Following his historic victory as the first Saudi to win the Argentina Rally, “Desafio Ruta 40,” nearly a month ago, Al-Rajhi aims to clinch the Baja Spain title this year alongside his German co-driver, Timo Gottschalk, in a Toyota Hilux EVO T1U prepared by Overdrive.

The rally comprises two stages, preceded by a 6-kilometer prologue on Friday afternoon. The first stage on Saturday covers 345 kilometers of fast, technical, and gravelly routes under high temperatures. The second and final stage on Sunday spans 162 kilometers.

With the long season of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, and after a successful start in Hail, Saudi Baja, and Baja Greece, the Spanish round marks the third thrilling event in the series. After this, the Baja season continues in Europe with rounds in Poland and Portugal, before concluding in the Middle East with events in Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.

In addition to his busy schedule, Saudi motorsport ambassador Yazeed Al-Rajhi also competes in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), which has five global rounds. He also races in the Saudi Toyota Desert Championship, which includes four local rounds in Hail, Tabuk, Qassim, and Jeddah. Currently, Al-Rajhi is in second place in the overall World Cup standings and aims to finish the championship in first place. Fernando Alvarez is leading by just 15 points, thanks to changes in the FIA World Baja Cup rules, making this year’s championship more unpredictable.

The new system requires a different strategy from competitors than in previous years. Additionally, the coefficient system, which varies based on the number of nominated competitors in a group, uses a scale of 1.0–1.2–1.5, making it more challenging to calculate points and predict chances in future rounds.

Expressing his excitement for the Spanish round, Al-Rajhi said, “I look forward to winning Baja Spain in the Aragón region. We have had an excellent season so far with remarkable results. Our start was strong, winning Baja Hail and the Argentina Rally in the long rallies.”

Al-Rajhi extended his special thanks to his strategic partner, Abdul Latif Jameel Motors, for their support and sponsorship of his global and regional rally participation.

“This will be my fifth participation in my professional career. As usual, we’re fully prepared to face fierce competition, striving for victory by implementing appropriate strategies and plans. The challenge here is strong, especially on Spanish soil and in front of their large and passionate motorsport audience, particularly in rally racing. We wish everyone safety and pray for success.”