YANBU: Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud Al-Saud and Meshal Khalaf Al-Shammari were announced the second-season winners of the Saudi Next Gen program on Sunday, qualifying as driver and navigator for next year’s Dakar Rally.
The program, run by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation in association with Amaury Sport Organization, required them to complete demanding technical and physical assessments, to replicate the challenges of desert rallying.
Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdullah bin Faisal, the SAMF’s chairman, said the initiative was designed to help young Saudis progress toward professional competition.
“We believe in empowering our competitors to represent the Kingdom with distinction on the international stage,” he said.
“This program is a key step in building a sustainable pathway for developing future Saudi champions,” he added.
He congratulated all the participants and encouraged those not selected to continue pursuing their ambitions, stressing that further opportunities would be available under the Kingdom’s long-term commitment to motorsport development.
Prince Abdulaziz said winning the program reflected their efforts invested throughout the initiative. “We were able to rise to the challenge in a way that reflects the significance of this achievement,” he said.
“God willing, we now look ahead to competing in the Dakar Rally 2027 at a level befitting the stature of this global event. The program has been a golden opportunity for us, and we promise to be fully prepared for Dakar in 2027,” he added.
His navigator, Al-Shammari, said: “This has been a childhood dream (of) mine.”
“Despite the challenges and difficulties, I was able to achieve it. The Saudi Next Gen program means a great deal to me, as it gave me the opportunity to realize my dream of competing in the Dakar Rally, while also improving my skills and experiencing this exceptional journey.”
Launched last year, the Saudi Next Gen program aims to identify and develop local motorsport talent, supporting the Kingdom’s wider Vision 2030 goals of building a sustainable and competitive sports sector.
