HAIL: Crossing the finish line first is of course the primary goal of any racing driver, but for rally driver Annett Quandt from Germany and her co-driver Annie Seel from Sweden, it is also a time to learn about new cultures.
The pair, who are competing in the Hail International Rally in northeastern Saudi Arabia, told Arab News ahead of the start of the three-day event on Thursday that they were delighted to once again have a chance to enjoy the rich culture of the Kingdom.
“This country is the best in the world for off-road racing; the scenery, terrains and mountains are amazing,” said Quandt, who made her competitive Dakar Rally debut in 2019, and the following year was the only woman to compete in the first Dakar Rally held in Saudi Arabia.
She added that although her main aim when she competes around the world is to win, she also likes to take the opportunity to learn about other nations and cultures.
“Since I started coming to Saudi Arabia for the Dakar Rally competition, I have really enjoy being here and have learned a lot about Saudi Arabia’s culture,” she said.
“What I noticed is it’s completely different from what we heard back home about this country. Saudis are very nice and friendly and wherever we go they host us and treat us so nicely.
“I am deeply touched by the hospitality and warmth of the people here. At the same time, I truly love the natural beauty within the country,”
Quandt, a trained sport physio who has been working for X-Raid since 2012, said she feels a duty to set the record straight about Saudi Arabia when she goes back home.
Speaking about her chances in the competition this year with co-driver Seel, Quandt said: “We’ll be trying our hardest again. Annie and I both know our strengths and weaknesses and we bring out the best in each other.
“The T3 category is an incredibly competitive class so if we could finish in a similar position to where we were when we went out last year we’d be happy.” Last year they finished 29th in the Challenger classification of the X-Raid 1000R Turbo.
Seel, meanwhile, is very familiar with the Kingdom, having been busy co-driving and coaching in the burgeoning Saudi women’s off-road racing scene.
“To come here and participate in rallies held in Saudi Arabia is always an experience and we are enjoying the competition and the Saudi culture,” she said.
“The past two years, I’ve been racing in the Saudi Off-Road Championship and there’s a lot of Saudi ladies competing, some of whom will eventually be entering the Dakar. I won a female-only (event) called Rally Jameel and there were over 40 crews on the start line. It’s getting really big over there.”
As for her chances in the Hail Rally, she said: “It’s not only the driving and navigation but also the mechanical stuff we do. But we feel confident that the two of us together have all the skills needed to take on whatever is thrown at us. We are both real fighters.”
On the opening day of racing on Thursday, the X-Raid Yamaha-supported duo finished in 10th place in the Prologue, and they were in 16th place in the X-raid 1000R Turbo category on Friday after the first day of the Hail International Rally.
Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk took the overall lead on Friday after recording a time of 2 hours 45 minutes and 58 seconds on the demanding 302-kilometer opening stage.
The Toyota Hilux driver finished 4:10 quicker than his Overdrive Racing teammates Rokas Baciuska and Oriol Vidal. Portugal’s Joao Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro were third-quickest, a further 1:57 adrift, in their X-Raid Mini John Cooper Works Rally Plus.
“In some places the navigation was difficult but everything was going well for us. That’s the most important and we are in the lead,” Al-Rajhi said.
Argentina’s Juan Cruz Yacopini guided the third of the Overdrive Toyotas to fourth place overall in the event, which is hosted by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and serves as the opening round of the FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups.
Saudi driver Dania Akeel started the stage well down the running order after delays on the Prologue, but she climbed to ninth place on her first true desert stage in an Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux.
On Saturday, the competitors will tackle a shorter, 164-kilometer second stage.
Hail Rally offers more than just a chance to compete for drivers Annett Quandt and Annie Seel
https://arab.news/zc9n4
Hail Rally offers more than just a chance to compete for drivers Annett Quandt and Annie Seel
- Saudi Arabia is ‘completely different from what we heard back home about this country; Saudis are very nice and friendly and … they host us and treat us so nicely,’ Quandt says
- Yazeed Al-Rajhi, Timo Gottschalk take the overall lead on Friday after the opening stage; Overdrive Racing teammates Rokas Baciuska and Oriol Vidal come in second
Al-Rajhi leads strong Saudi contingent for Dakar Rally 2026
- The event returns to the Kingdom for the 7th year in row from Jan. 3 to 17, featuring more than 800 competitors from 69 countries in 433 vehicles
- Though the local spotlight will be on defending champ Yazeed Al-Rajhi and established stars Dania Akeel and Yasser Seaidan, there is plenty of emerging Saudi talent to watch as well
JEDDAH: As the Dakar Rally returns for a seventh year to Saudi Arabia next week, what began in 2020 with a handful of local entrants from the host country among the international stars has evolved into a confident and sizable national presence at one of the toughest events in motor sports.
Saudis are set to play a central role as the competitors cruise through the country from Jan. 3 to 17, with no fewer than 25 drivers and co-drivers from the Kingdom taking part this year, including 10 graduates of the Saudi Next Gen program.
Much of the spotlight inevitably will fall on defending champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi, and established competitors such as Dania Akeel and Yasser Seaidan, but they are joined by an impressive roster of emerging talent.
Established Saudi stars
The Saudi contingent is led by Al-Rajhi, who returns for his 12th Dakar as the reigning champion after a landmark victory 12 months ago. Other successes at major international rally-raid events — including wins at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Rallye du Maroc and Desafio Ruta 40 — have firmly established his place among the elite in the “Ultimate” category.
“Winning the 2025 Dakar Rally was only the beginning,” Al-Rajhi said. “I am preparing for Dakar 2026 with full determination and focus. I will fight stage-by-stage. The car is ready, the team is ready and the ambition has no limits.”
In the “Challenger” category, Akeel continues to set the benchmark ahead of her fifth Dakar. She has earned a reputation for consistency, highlighted by an eighth-place T3 finish at Dakar 2022, and the FIA T3 Baja World Cup title in 2021.
Partnering once again with navigator Sebastien Delaunay, Akeel will compete in the Taurus by BBR Motorsport as she targets a podium finish.
Strength and depth across categories
Beyond the headline names, the Saudi presence at Dakar is underpinned by a selection of other experienced competitors. Yasir Seaidan is lining up for his ninth Dakar, after finishing third in the SSV category at the event in 2024 and securing the World Rally-Raid Championship SSV title the same year.
Saleh Al-Saif adds further depth to the SSV class, with six Dakar appearances under his belt, including a sixth-place finish in 2024, along with two Jordan Baja victories.
The Saudi representation extends to other categories. Tariq Al-Rammah will compete in the T5.2 Truck class for the fifth time, while Ibrahim Al-Muhanna will make his seventh Dakar appearance in the Classic Truck category, following a third-place Stock finish in 2024.
Ahmed Al-Jaber, Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera and Badr Al-Hamdan will represent the Kingdom in the motorcycle category.
The next generation
A defining feature of Dakar 2026 is likely to be the emergence of fresh talent from structured national pathways of development. Several graduates of the Saudi Next Gen program, for example, will make their Dakar debuts, reflecting the Kingdom’s growing focus on long-term development of talent.
Hamza Bakhashab lines up at the event after a standout season that included victories at the 2025 Saudi Baja – Hail and the Jordan Baja, a debut at WRC Rally Saudi Arabia 2025, and the Saudi Next Gen 2025 title.
Abdullah Al-Shegawi will also make his Dakar debut, as the second selection through the Saudi Next Gen program.
Khaled Al-Feraihi will make his Dakar debut in the Ultimate class, while Majed Al-Thunayan returns for a second appearance in the Stock category.
A growing motor sports ecosystem
From participation in the early years of the Dakar’s Kingdom era to recent championship successes, Saudi Arabia’s Dakar story has evolved into a sustained presence built on experience, ambition and long-term vision.
The 2026 event, the seventh Dakar Rally hosted by Saudi Arabia, will feature a prologue followed by 13 competitive stages across 14 race days, showcasing the diverse landscapes of the Kingdom.
The event will bring together more than 800 competitors of 69 nationalities in 433 vehicles. It is staged under the supervision of the Kingdom’s Ministry of Sport, and organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation in partnership with the Saudi Motorsport Company.
