Hamad
Al Wahaibi Secures First Place in Opening Round of Baja World Cup in Saudi
Arabia

Riyadh,
1 Feb 2026 (ONA) — International racer Hamad Al Wahaibi clinched first place
in both the Challenger and Masters categories of the FIA World Baja Cup during
the Hail International Baja hosted in the city of Hail, Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia.

Al
Wahaibi delivered a remarkable performance in the opening round of the Baja
World Cup, securing the top spot in his categories and finishing within the top
ten in the overall standings, an achievement that reflects his high level of
readiness and technical consistency.

The
competitors navigated the “Baqaa” stage, which served as the rally’s
first special stage, covering a total distance of 414 kilometers, of which 242
kilometers were timed.

Al
Wahaibi completed this stage in eighth place overall and second in the
Challenger category, having led his class during the first stage of the 2026
Baja World Cup season. Al Wahaibi and his co-driver maintained a high pace
throughout all stages of the rally before concluding the competition strongly
in the final stage, achieving a distinguished result that adds to his
successful track record. It is noted that Al Wahaibi participated in this same
rally last year in the Challenger and Masters categories.

“The
rally was exceptional and witnessed great harmony with the co-driver; we did
not encounter any navigational issues throughout the race,” Al Wahaibi
stated, indicating that the next milestone in the 2026 season will be continued
preparation and participation in the Dakar Rally, which is scheduled to take
place in 2027 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Al Wahaibi’s new season is set to
be intensive, featuring participation in six rounds of the Baja World Cup
across several countries, alongside rounds of the World Rally-Raid Championship
(Cross-Country) and the Saudi Baja Rally Championship.

—Ends/AG