Dania Akeel scores more points in Italy ahead of Spain tour

Dania Akeel continued to add to her score in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Baha in the T3 category. (Supplied)
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Updated 13 July 2023
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Dania Akeel scores more points in Italy ahead of Spain tour

  • Akeel and navigator Tay Berry finish fourth in FIA World Cup T3 third round
  • Duo remain third overall after ‘fun’ rally experience

ITALY: Dania Akeel continued to add to her score in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Baha in the T3 category, after her successful participation in the third round of the championship in Italy, accompanied by her German navigator Tay Berry.
The race distance reached almost 636 km, of which 454 km was special stages. Akeel finished fourth, strengthening her position in third place overall in the T3 category.
Akeel started the round by finishing the show stage well in the midst of strong competition on the second day, rallying with determination and persistence to remain at the forefront of the championship.
After reaching the finish line, she said: “I am happy with this result and I’m glad to add more points to my championship tally. There are still a number of rounds ahead for this season, and we will work resolutely to improve our position.”
She added: “The stages of the rally, particularly the special stages, were fun and the atmosphere of the competition was exciting. Nevertheless, my navigator and I were able to push ahead to stay on top of the competition, reach the finish line, and add more points to my championship tally. I hope to complete the remaining rounds by adding more points to achieve our aspirations.”
After the Italian rally, Akeel will head to Spain, specifically the famous province of Aragon, to participate in the fourth round of the championship for this season.

 


Final preparations ramp up as Dakar Rally 2026 draws closer

Updated 22 December 2025
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Final preparations ramp up as Dakar Rally 2026 draws closer

  • World’s toughest endurance race scheduled for seventh consecutive year in Kingdom

YANBU: Final preparations for Saudi Arabia’s Dakar Rally 2026 have entered their concluding phase, with less than two weeks to go until the world’s toughest endurance race gets underway in the Kingdom for a seventh consecutive year.

Held under the auspices of the Ministry of Sport and organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation in partnership with the Saudi Motorsport Company, the rally runs from Jan. 3-17 and features 14 race days, including a prologue and 13 competitive stages.

A milestone was reached in logistical operations last week when two vessels carrying rally vehicles and equipment from Barcelona arrived at King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu.

Technical scrutineering for all competing vehicles is scheduled for Jan. 1-2, marking the final step before competition begins.

This year’s event will feature 812 competitors representing 69 nationalities and competing across 433 vehicles in a wide range of categories.

The entry list includes 73 ultimate cars, 118 motorbikes, 46 trucks, 38 challengers, 43 side-by-side vehicles, eight stock vehicles, 75 classic cars, 24 classic trucks, and seven Mission 1000 motorbikes, as well as a Mission 1000 truck, highlighting the rally’s scale and diversity.

The action begins on Saturday, Jan. 3, with a 23-km prologue in Yanbu, followed by Stage 1 on Jan. 4, a 305-km loop starting and finishing in the coastal city.

The route then heads to AlUla for Stages 2 and 3 before continuing through a demanding sequence of desert stages across the Kingdom.

Competitors will race from AlUla to a bivouac refuge on Jan. 7, then to Hail the day after and Riyadh on Jan. 9, ahead of a rest day on Jan. 10.

The second half of the rally resumes with stages through Wadi Al-Dawasir, Bisha and Al-Henakiyah, before the event concludes back in Yanbu on Jan. 17.

Saudi Arabia’s continued hosting of the Dakar Rally underscores its growing status as a global hub for motorsport and international sporting events.

The Kingdom is the only country to host a broad spectrum of elite motorsport competitions, including Formula One, Formula E, the FIA World Rally Championship and Extreme H, alongside the Dakar Rally.