CORDOBA, Argentina: World champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi has become the first Saudi and third non-Argentinian driver to win in Argentina since 2010 after he was crowned the 2024 Desafio Ruta 40 Rally winner on Friday.
The Saudi driver’s win marks the fourth round of the World Rally-Raid Championship, said in a media statement.
Al-Rajhi and his German co-driver Timo Gottschalk finished first by just 13 seconds. They recorded a total time of 17 hours, 38 minutes, and 21 seconds over six days on rough, technical gravel tracks between June 1-7.
“Winning by just seconds is an incredible feeling. It was a long and fierce battle, and I led skillfully every day. This victory is well-deserved for me and the team,” said Al-Rajhi.
“I am delighted with this win. I thank God for this victory … It’s great to be back in Argentina. Last year, I finished third, and today I won the second edition of the Desafio Ruta 40 Rally,” he added.
Co-driver Gottschalk said: “It wasn’t for the faint-hearted. Yazeed fired another rocket in the final kilometers, overcoming every challenge. It was truly outstanding driving. We are thrilled with this victory and definitely deserve the upcoming summer break.”
The Saudi champion secured victories in two of the five stages, finishing second in the remaining three, accumulating valuable points that placed him second in the W2RC standings after the Argentine rally.
The team’s remarkable performance leaves them just 25 points behind the leader, with the competition remaining open until the final round in Morocco in October.
The rally began with a prologue in Cordoba, where Al-Rajhi secured second place. After that, he dominated the first loop stage. In the second stage, the longest at 724 km, he maintained his overall lead. The third stage, a 451-km loop, saw the team perform brilliantly, keeping their lead.
The fourth stage in La Rioja, covering 676 km, was extremely tough, but Al-Rajhi drove cautiously to avoid any issues, finishing the stage still in the lead.
In the final stage, he faced a thrilling challenge, with only one second separating him from his closest competitor in the provisional standings. Ultimately, Al-Rajhi and Gottschalk won by 40 seconds, securing a brave victory.
Covering a total distance of 3,045 km, including 1,917 km of special stages, the Desafio Ruta 40 Rally is one of the most prestigious and challenging rallies in Latin America.
Saudi world champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi crowned winner of Desafio Ruta 40 Rally
https://arab.news/ww3ab
Saudi world champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi crowned winner of Desafio Ruta 40 Rally
- Al-Rajhi’s win marks 4th round of the World Rally-Raid Championship
- ‘It was a long and fierce battle … This victory is well-deserved for me and the team,’ says Al-Rajhi
MESIF 2026 lands in Riyadh, driving future of sports investment
- Senior sports leaders to gather in capital as 2-day Middle East Sports Investment Forum focuses on performance, football, long-term sporting legacy
RIYADH: Riyadh will host the Middle East Sports Investment Forum on Jan. 27-28, bringing together senior decision-makers from across football, major events, infrastructure, media and investment as the region sharpens its focus on high-performance sport and long-term legacy.
The forum will examine how the Middle East’s rapidly expanding sports sector is shifting from headline events to sustainable systems, with discussions set to cover elite facilities, athlete pathways, commercial growth and fan engagement.
Confirmed speakers include Abdullah Al-Rasheed, director of investment enablement at the Saudi Ministry of Sport; Hani Ballan, CEO of the Qatar Stars League; Nader Nasser Hamood Al-Rawahy, operations excellence lead at Oman Vision 2040; Nasser Al‑Khori, executive director of the Generation Amazing Foundation; Haya Sawan, managing partner at Motion Academy; and Marwan Albazie, deputy CEO of the Islamic Solidarity Games Local Organizing Committee.
These leaders bring expertise in government policy, league development, social impact, and investment strategy, offering insights into both the commercial and societal potential of sport across the Middle East.
Football is expected to feature prominently, with a dedicated session on the future of the game in the region exploring performance, engagement and commercial strategy as Saudi Arabia continues to build its global sporting profile.
Infrastructure and major events will also be in focus, as industry leaders assess how world-class venues and international competitions can drive economic impact while supporting athlete development and community participation.
The forum concludes with a tour of Kingdom Arena, underlining Riyadh’s ambition to position its venues as year-round performance hubs rather than event-only destinations.
