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Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - Saudi’s Al-Rajhi sets his sights on victory at Desafio Ruta 40 Rally in Argentina
CORDOBA: Saudi World Champion Yazeed bin Mohammed Al-Rajhi is gearing up for the second edition of the Desafio Ruta 40 Rally in Argentina, the fourth round of the 2024 FIA World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC), set to take place in the northwestern region of the country.
The rally will traverse the provinces of Cordoba, San Juan and La Rioja over six days from June 1-7.
Navigating alongside him will be German navigator Timo Gottschalk, his partner since the Abu Dhabi Rally 2023, both competing aboard a Toyota Hilux EVO T1U from the Overdrive Racing team based in Belgium.
This year’s routes are entirely new, including passages through Cordoba and San Juan, which are new additions to the race.
Al-Rajhi is targeting victory in this year’s Argentine leg after finishing third in the previous edition despite the challenging terrains. These routes were previously used in Dakar Rally stages when Argentina hosted the competition from 2009-2018.
The Desafio Ruta 40 Rally, which first launched in 2010 and ran for nine years before resuming in Argentina last year as part of the World Long Distance Desert Rally Championship, consists of five stages, three circular, preceded by a 17-km qualifying stage. The rally then moves westward through La Rioja, concluding with a total distance of 3,045 km. Known for its rugged and challenging terrains, the Argentine rally resembles the Dakar Rally with its varied landscapes of gravel, open sand and high dunes.
Named after Argentina’s famous Route 40, the rally will traverse the iconic road, the longest in South America and one of the longest globally, alongside Route 66 in the US.
“I’m very excited to return for the second edition of Desafio Ruta 40,” said Al-Rajhi. “The first edition was tough and full of challenges, yet we managed to secure top positions. Let’s see what awaits us this season.
“Argentina is not unfamiliar to us; I first competed here in the Dakar Rally in 2015 aboard a Toyota Hilux, with Timo as my navigator at the time,” he added.
Al-Rajhi expressed his delight at racing in Argentina, saying: “I enjoy competing here; it feels like home. I have a great fan base supporting me since 2015. The fans here are amazing, always supporting us and loving motorsport. So, we’re always happy to come racing in Argentina.”
Al-Rajhi extended special thanks to his strategic partner, Jameel for Motorsport, for their support and sponsorship in his global and regional rally endeavors.
German navigator Timo Gottschalk also revealed his optimism about the championship season, noting the upcoming challenge with Al-Rajhi.
“We face a new challenge this year; the first edition was extremely tough, yet enjoyable. We need to be cautious and hope for success in this round,” Gottschalk said.
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