The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) has issued an impressive entry list for the first Tabuk-Neom Rally, round of the 2023 Saudi Toyota Rally Championship, which takes place next weekend (May 18th-20th).

The event is running under the chairmanship of H.R.H. Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisal, the President of the SAMF, and has attracted 35 cars, 20 motorcycles and three quads with three of the bikes running in the over-450cc category.

There is strength in depth across the various car categories with 11 T1 crews joining the top- seeded Yazeed Al Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk in their T1+ Toyota Hilux.

In addition, the first event to be based in the city of Tabuk has attracted a dozen teams in the T2 section for series production cross-country vehicles, five crews in each of the T3 and T4 categories and one truck running in T5.

The event is being held in conjunction with the Ministry of Sport and in partnership with official sponsor Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) Motors and strategic sponsor Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB).

Al Rajhi starts as the favourite to win the event against a host of rivals in a fleet of Nissan and Toyotas that include Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh, Al Mashna Al Ramali, Majed Al Shammeri, Khalid Al Feraihi and Qatar’s Abdullah Al Rabban.

Saudi drivers dominate the T2 category on this occasion, with Ahmed Al Shegawi and the Saudi Border Guard Team duo of Haylan Al Subaie and Jafar Al Qahtani topping an entry that also features the Emirati Isuzu driver Abdullah Al Shamsi.

Dania Akeel is a regular competitor in international FIA Bajas and the Saudi teams up with Germany’s Taye Perry in an all-female team entered in the T3 section for modified prototype cross-country machines. She faces competition from fellow Saudi Can-Am drivers Saleh Al Saif, Hamad Al Harbi and Moaaz Hariri and Emirati Khalid Al Jafla.

Maha Al Hameli leads the T4 field in her Can-Am against the Saudi trio of Abdullah Al Shegawi, Orjwan Ammar and Mohammed Al Muhawwis and Kuwait’s Bader Al Ajmi. Ibrahim Al Muhanna teams up with Osama Al Sanad and Raed Abu Theeb in his customary T5 Mercedes truck.

Local rider Mishal Al Ghuneim leads the two-wheel field on his Beta 430RR. He lines up against the Al Balooshi brothers, Mohammed and Sultan, Bahrain’s Salman Farhan, Qatar’s Mohammed Al Kaabi and Abdulrahman Al Sheeb, Kuwait’s Sarah Khuraibet and a host of additional Saudi and Emirati riders. They include Ehab Al Hakeem and Abdulhalim Al Mogheera.

The experienced Saudi international quad rider Haitham Al-Tuwaijri faces fellow Yamaha Raptor rivals Abdulaziz Al-Atawi and Hani Al-Noumesi in the quad section.

The Tabuk-Neom Rally gets underway with the ceremonial start and a short qualifying stage on Thursday afternoon.

2023 Tabuk-Neom Rally

– Leading entries

Cars (Top 10 only): 1. Yazeed Al Rajhi (SAU)/Timo Gottschalk (DEU) Toyota Hilux 2. Abdulaziz Al Yaeesh (SAU)/Omar Al Lahim (SAU) Nissan 3. Al Mashna Al Ramali (SAU)/Abdullah Al Ramali (SAU) Nissan 4. Motab Al Qnon (SAU)/Fares Al Thefiri (KWT) Nissan 5. Oiad Al Ramali (SAU)/Khalid Al Ramali (SAY) Toyota 6. Mubarak Al Zbaidy (SAU)/Hassan Ali Obaid (ARE) Toyota 7. Fares Al Marmash (SAU)/Yazeed Al Shammeri (SAU) Nissan 8. Majed Al Shammeri (SAU)/ Abdulaziz Al Rimali (SAU) Nissan 9. Ahmed Al Qashami (SAU)/Khalid Al Bakr (SAU) Nissan 10. Fares Al Mashna (SAU)/ TBA Nissan

Bikes (Top 10 only): 1. Mishal Al Ghuneim (SAU) Beta 430RR 2. Mohammed Al Balooshi (ARE) KTM 450 3. Ehab Al Hakeem (SAU) Yamaha WR450 F 4. Anass Al Reheyani (SAU) KTM 450 5. Abdulhalim Al Mogheera (SAU) KTM 450 6. Salman Farhan (BAH) KTM 450 7. Bader Abalalkhali (SAU) Yamaha YZ450 R 8. Bader Al Hamdan (SAU) Yamaha WR450 F 9. Sultan Al Balooshi (ARE) KTM 450 10. Mohammed Al Kaabi (QAT) KTM 450

Quads: 1. Haitham Al Tuwaijri (SAU) Yamaha Raptor 700 2. Abdulaziz Al Atawi (SAU) Yamaha Raptor 700 3. Hani Al Noumesi (SAU) Yamaha Raptor 700.

© Copyright Qatar Tribune. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).