BRX primed for toughest test as Dakar Rally stretches into Empty Quarter

01.01.2023 - 00:27 arabnews.com

JEDDAH: Bahrain Raid Xtreme heads into its third Dakar Rally on Saturday with a four-car team of sustainably fueled Prodrive Hunters tested, developed and ready for the biggest adventure in the world of motorsport.

The 45th edition of the rally tackles some of the toughest desert terrain seen in recent years, and after winning two of the four World Rally Raid Championship events in 2022, the BRX team is raring to go, with car updates, new staff and a hunger for what lies ahead in Saudi Arabia.

After taking the runner-up spot 12 months ago, Sebastien Loeb returns to action with Fabian Lurquin looking to build on last year’s performance in the Prodrive Hunter T1+ that gave BRX eight stage podium finishes overall.

Argentine Orly Terranova, who drove another Prodrive Hunter to fourth place in the 2022 Dakar, will be accompanied by Spaniard Alex Haro who guided him to a superb second place on the Rallye du Maroc in October.

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Dakar Rally to remain in Saudi Arabia, say organisers

Saudi Arabia will continue to be the home of the Dakar Rally for the next few years with race director David Castera telling AFP "we still have so many deserts to explore".

Dakar Rally to remain in Saudi Arabia, say organizers

AL-HOFUF, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia will continue to be the home of the Dakar Rally for the next few years with race director David Castera telling AFP “we still have so many deserts to explore.”Castera was speaking after Saturday’s penultimate stage with Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah poised for his fifth title.“I’m very happy we’re staying here, with so many deserts still to explore and with this country’s enormous potential,” he said.Motorsport’s toughest endurance test moved to the conservative Kingdom in 2020 after a spell in South America on an initial 10-year contract.Dakar organizers ASO announced the switch in 2019 saying a new chapter of the gruelling race’s history would be written in the “mysterious and vast deserts” of the land.Castera confirmed a clause in the Saudi deal to pull out after five years would not be taken up.“Today there’s been a big change, it’s progressing at a fast rate,” commented Castera.“I’m not here to play politics but to organize a sporting event which has the legitimacy to exist here because the terrain suits it.”Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in attracting high profile sporting events including tennis, golf and Formula One to its shores and is preparing a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.And last month five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Saudi side Al-Nassr in a deal worth 200 million euros.In the race, Al-Attiyah should complete the cruise to his fifth title.

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Rallying-Loeb sets Dakar record with sixth stage win in a row

Sebastien Loeb set a Dakar Rally record of six stage wins in a row on Saturday as Qatar's reigning champion Nasser Al-Attiyah stood on the brink of clinching his fifth title in the car category.

Al-Attiyah keeps it steady in daunting Empty Quarter to maintain Dakar lead after Stage 10

Stage 10 of this year's Dakar Rally moved to one of the most feared locations in the Saudi Arabian desert: the Empty Quarter. The stage was a massive 510km long, but stage winners Sebastien Loeb and co-driver Fabian Lurquin needed only 1hr 48min and 32sec to complete it.