Al-Rajhi, Al-Balooshi and Al-Tuwaijri lead car, motorcycle and quad battle after opening stage of Rally Qassim Toyota 2023

BURAIDAH: Yazeed Al-Rajhi, Mohammed Al-Balooshi and Haitham Al-Tuwaijri extended their advantages in the car, motorcycle and quad categories after the Ash Shimasiyah desert stage of 186 km at Rally Qassim Toyota 2023 on Friday morning.
After winning the Prologue on Thursday afternoon, Al-Rajhi and his German co-driver Timo Gottschalk opted to start the first of two desert stages from 10th on the road, and the Saudi used that starting position to full advantage to win the day’s test in his Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux and extend his lead to 2 minutes 41 seconds.
Al-Rajhi said: “It was a good stage for us. I drive well and Timo did a great job with no mistakes.

We had a clean run and we have a good gap and, I think for tomorrow, we take it easy.”
Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon began the stage from ninth on the road. The Brazilian was able to record the second quickest time to maintain a cushion of 7 minutes 4 seconds over third-placed Saleh Alabdulali and co-driver Mohammed Al-Naim in a Yazeed Racing-backed Toyota.
Alabdulali said: “I had a puncture in the very first kilometer of the stage and it took me two minutes roughly to change the tyre.

The stage was very open, so it needed more attention for navigation and checkpoints. Lucas caught us after 70 or 80 km and we finished the stage together.

It was a decent start after a three-year hiatus and a new car for me with one day to practice and adapt. I’m hoping for a better run tomorrow.”
Race World Can-Am Maverick driver Yasir Seaidan teamed up with former French Dakar rider Michael Metge to finish the day in fourth and build up a lead of 5 minutes p13sec in the T3 section for lightweight prototype machines.