Latest news with #SébastienLoeb
IOL News
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
First ever Safari Rally kicks off in South Africa: here's what to expect
International rally stars, including Carlos Sainz, will be competing on local turf this week. The long-anticipated Safari Rally kicks off on Monday, marking the first time that South Africa has ever hosted a round of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). Based around Sun City in the North West, the gruelling rally will see crews cover a distance of 2,641km, of which 1,222km is timed. The prologue is set to kick off on Monday afternoon, ahead of Tuesday's Stage 1. The top-tier 'Ultimate' class currently has 36 entries, with top local competitors set to compete with international rallying stars, including nine-time WRC champion Sébastien Loeb and multiple Dakar winner Nasser Al Attiyah, in their Dacia Sandriders. Al-Attiyah currently leads the Rally-Raid Championship, with a 23-point advantage over Yazeed Al-Rajhi, who remains on the sidelines after injuring his back at the Jordan Baja in April. Fellow former Dakar victors Carlos Sainz and Nani Roma will also be aiming to tame the African terrain in their M-Sport Ford Raptors.
News24
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- News24
World Rally-Raid Championship heats up for historic SA debut
The World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) heads to Southern Africa for the first time in history. The South African Safari Rally is Round 3 of the 2025 W2RC calendar. It takes place from the Sun City Resort from 18-24 May 2025. With its rich history in rally-raid development and competitive success, South Africa will soon be hosting the world championship it helped shape. The entry list for the first World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) event to be held in South Africa reflects the occasion. The South African Safari Rally, brought to you by Toyota Gazoo Racing, forms Round 3 of this year's W2RC calendar and takes place from the Sun City Resort in North West Province from 18-24 May 2025. In the FIA car category, the Ultimate class brings together a veritable who's who of off-road royalty. Nasser Al-Attiyah and Sébastien Loeb spearhead the formidable effort from The Dacia Sandriders. Al-Attiyah is the reigning W2RC champion, the previous round's winner at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the current championship leader, and navigator Edouard Boulanger. Teammate Loeb is a multiple World Rally champion and regular podium finisher in the rally-raid series. He is a formidable contender for the win, with Fabian Lurquin in the navigator's seat. Former Dakar Rally winners and motorsport legends Carlos Sainz and Nani Roma return to competition behind the wheels of the two Ford M-Sport Raptor entries. Navigator Lucas Cruz joins Sainz while Alex Haro guides Roma. The X-Raid MINI JCW Team adds further depth to the field with their accomplished duo of Guillaume de Mévius/Xavier Panseri and João Ferreira/Filipe Palmeiro. Toyota Gazoo Racing is coming out with all guns blazing, thanks to a five-strong lineup of GR Hilux EVOs. American ace Seth Quintero and navigator Dennis Zenz join Brazilian star Lucas Moraes and Spanish navigator Armand Monleon. There's a trio of local favourites too, comprising this year's Dakar Rally second-place finishers Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings, the youngest Dakar stage winner in the car category Saood Variawa and navigator François Cazalet, as well as Guy Botterill/Dennis Murphy – all determined to make the most of their home advantage on African soil. Four more international Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux entries are included, as well as a pair of #TeamHilux entries from South Africa, including former Dakar Rally winner Giniel de Villiers. Additional entries from experienced championship-winning local and international drivers and navigators from PS Laser Racing, Century Racing, Red-Lined Motorsport, and Neil Woolridge Motorsport bolster the Ultimate class field and promise top-tier competition for rally-raid fans. Four entries will be vying for victory in the BBR Motorsport Taurus T3 Max in the Challenger class. Dakar Rally winner Nicolas Cavigliasso and navigator Valentina Pertegarini will aim to reclaim the championship lead from teammates Pau Navarro/Lisandro Sisterna. They will also be up against two other crews from the same squad, comprising David Zille/Sebastian Cesana and Dania Akeel/Stephane Duple. Numerous other rivals aim to spoil their fun, including the South African team of Puck Klaassen and Charan Moore. In the SSV (side-by-side vehicle) class, the goal for Alexandre Pinto and Bernardo Oliviera will be to extend their championship lead in the Can-Am Maverick R. They will have the MMP entries of Enrico Gaspari/Fausto Mota and Claude Fournier/Patrick Jimbert hot on their tail, along with a pair of CST Xtreme Plus Polaris entries and several other serious rivals. Motorcycles In the FIM's top RallyGP motorcycle category, the Austrian Red Bull KTM team hopes to make it three in a row at the South African Safari Rally, as Daniel Sanders won both the opening race at the Dakar Rally and Round 2 in Abu Dhabi. Teammate Luciano Benavides will join him on the second KTM 450 Rally. Botswana's Ross Branch leads a two-rider effort from Hero Motorsports, joined by José Ignacio Cornejo. The Monster Energy Honda HRC team arrives in force with four impressive riders ready to challenge for the win, including Ricky Brabec, Skyler Howes, Adrien van Beveren, and Tosha Schareina. Adding to the local flair, South Africa's Bradley Cox debuted with the Sherco Rally Factory Team after his recent signing. Cox is competing in RallyGP this year after winning the Rally2 class in 2024. Current Rally2 championship leader Tobias Ebster has joined the Hero Motosports team leading up to the South African Safari Rally and will give everything to build on his points lead. South African rider Michael Docherty will be eagerly cheered on by local supporters in the Rally2 category, especially after he won the previous round at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. He is part of the BAS World KTM Racing Team, which is bringing Nathan Rafferty, Filip Grot, Libor Pletka, and Konrad Dabrowski to compete in the South African event. With no less than 23 riders racing in the Rally2 class at the South African Safari Rally, there will be fierce competition for the podium positions. Five riders have been confirmed for the Malle Moto class. They compete in the whole race and must complete their own maintenance on the motorcycles throughout the event, making it an extreme test of man and machine. Three riders from France are Benjamin Pousset, Florian Banchilon, and Matthieu Jauffraud. Jatin Jain, from India, joins the action, along with South African-based Belgian rider Xavier Gregoire. In the Quad category, Abu Dhabi, Desert Challenge winner Antanas Kanopkinas leads the charge on his CFMOTO Thunder Racing machine. He will be joined by the previous round's other podium finishers, teammate Gaetan Martinez and Marek Loj, on a Yamaha Raptor 700. South African Carien Teessen is the fourth contender on another Yamaha Raptor 700. The route The South African Safari Rally offers a diverse and demanding route specifically designed to showcase the natural beauty and technical challenges of Southern Africa. All stages begin and end at Sun City, except for the Marathon Stage, which includes an overnight trip to a remote bivouac near Stella. Here, competitors must service their own vehicles – without outside support. Prologue (19 May): A 9 km blast just outside Sun City sets the stage, combining tight bush trails with fast gravel Stage 1 (20 May): Loops west toward Lichtenburg, blending sand tracks and open farm roads (262 km special) Stage 2 (21 May): Heads into Barberspan's savannah and off-piste terrain (352 km), ending at the marathon bivouac Stage 3 (22 May): Loops back from Stella, with long, fast sections and tricky navigation (253 km) Stage 4 (23 May): A punishing 224 km route into Skilpadshek, featuring rocky mountain sections and technical bushveld Stage 5 (24 May): A short, sharp 118 km loop through red dust and farmland returns the rally to Sun City for the finish The climate in May is cool and dry, with daytime highs around 25°C and early morning temperatures as low as 5°C —ideal for high-performance engines but challenging for tired riders at the marathon bivouac. A rally for the continent As the W2RC heads into its third round, the South African Safari Rally stands not only as a competitive milestone but as a celebration of African rally-raid history and hospitality. From technical scrutineering to the prize-giving at Sun City, every detail has been designed to deliver a world-class experience. More than just a race, this is Africa's invitation to the world—to feel the dust, hear the roar, and witness the rally-raid's global elite take on the continent's toughest terrain.
Khaleej Times
14-02-2025
- Automotive
- Khaleej Times
Clash of the Titans at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge
A world-class line up of drivers and riders is set to take on the punishing dunes of Abu Dhabi in Round 2 of the FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). With the final entry lists for the highly anticipated 2025 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge confirmed, fans are anticipating a host of motorsport legends and emerging cross-country stars for a week-long showdown kicking off from Al Ain (21-27 February). The 34th edition of the Desert Challenge classic is shaping up to be a genuine clash of the titans. With 165 cars, bikes and, for the time this season, quads registered to compete, the truly international field represents 30 different countries, featuring icons of the sport, rising stars, and a brave band of privateers determined to take on one of motorsport's most demanding events. In the cars' top-class, the 'Ultimate' category, reigning World Rally-Raid champion Nasser Al Attiyah returns to defend his 2024 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge win behind the wheel of his Dacia Sandrider. Joining him is nine-time FIA World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb, also representing the Renault-owned Romanian squad. They'll face fierce competition from other manufacturers, with defending world champions Toyota Gazoo Racing arriving fresh from a spectacular Dakar win, courtesy of Yazeed Al Rajhi, who secured Round 1 victory on home soil. Meanwhile, World Rally-Raid newcomers Ford M-Sport continue their impressive start after Mattias Ekström took the new Raptor T1 to a remarkable third-place finish at Dakar 2025. The X-Raid Minis return, featuring a strong line-up which includes Belgian star Guillaume De Mevius who will be looking for redemption after a heavy crash on Stage 2 last year. The 'Challenger' class also features a strong turnout, led by a 2025 Dakar winner, Argentina's Nicolas Cavigliasso. A strong contingent of local and regional talent will also be in the spotlight, particularly in the SSV class, where the newly formed Liwa Team UAE fields Sheikh Khalid Al Qasimi, and 2024 SSV class-winner Mansour Al-Helei. This Emirati duo, competing in Can-Am Maverick cars, brings thousands of kilometres of desert racing experience. , Yahya Al Helei, Atif Al Zarouni, and Khalid Aljafla, the latter a runner-up in the Challenger class of the World Cup for Bajas 2024, are also expected to feature prominently. Meanwhile, in the bikes category, reigning World Champion Ross Branch leads the way for India's Hero MotoSports, which secured its first ever Rally-Raid victory at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. However, Hero is set to be pushed hard by 23-time Desert Challenge winners KTM Factory Racing, spearheaded by 2025 Dakar winner Daniel Sanders. Emirati rider Mohammed Balooshi will also be joining the competition, adding to the strong local presence. A skilled and experienced competitor, Balooshi is certain to show well in the standings, further strengthening the Emirati lineup. Other UAE national candidates entered in the bike category include Marwan Alrahmani and Abdulla Lanjawi. After missing last year's event, Monster Energy Honda HRC is back in contention, determined to reclaim top honours with a strong line-up that includes Ricky Brabec and 2023 Desert Challenge winner Adrian Van Beveren. Quads make their first appearance of the 2025 Rally-Raid Championship, with local legend Abdulaziz Ahli seeking his fifth consecutive Desert Challenge title. After fog on the final stages of last month's Dakar Rally resulted in tears of joy for some and cries of frustration for others, this year's Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge - held in the same Empty Quarter desert - offers the perfect opportunity for a real rematch. The star-studded international field will gather in the historic city of Al Ain on 21 st February for the start of the event, which is organised by the Emirates Motorsports Organisation (4), with the support of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council. Charged with making Abu Dhabi an international capital for sporting excellence, competition, and international events, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council works to establish an environment that contributes towards promoting the importance of sport and sports programmes for all segments of the community, implementing the best and latest international systems that promote competing at local, regional, and international levels. The Abu Dhabi Sports Council supports the EMSO on a number of world-class events throughout the year. 'The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is not only one of the most significant events in the UAE's sporting calendar, but also a major event in the world of motorsport. That relevance is underlined by the incredibly strong entry list it attracts. This year's event is no exception, and the 2025 edition looks set to be one of the most keenly contested in its long history. The Abu Dhabi Sports Council works together with the EMSO on a number of projects, and we are pleased to again be supporting an event that brings the world's best drivers and riders to the UAE for an event that reaffirms its position as a global leader in sporting excellence,' said Aref Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council. Khalid Bin Sulayem, the EMSO's President, commented: 'With an incredible field of top competitors now confirmed, the UAE is ready to host a thrilling second round of the FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championship. This year's route is one of the most demanding in the event's history, with a marathon straddling two stages for both bikes and cars, and is sure to test the drivers and riders to the limit Following the historic inaugural start in Al-Ain, competitors will take on a gruelling 400km charge into the desert to stunning Mezaira'a, before tackling marathon stages 3 and 4 in Al Qua'a, where cars will participate in a marathon stage for the first time ever. Those who survive the challenge will face the final showdown in Abu Dhabi.
