Dubai:Qatar's Nasser Al Attiyah emerged victorious in the opening stage of the Dubai International Baja held in the Al Qudra Desert, finishing 5 minutes and 16.7 seconds ahead of his closest competitor. Meanwhile, Britain's Alex McInnes solidified his lead in the motorcycle category.
According to Emirates News Agency, the timed stage included a 177.24 km course for cars and a 193.90 km course for motorcycles and quads. Al Attiyah, teamed with French co-driver Max Delfino in an MD Rallye Optimus, finished ahead of Dutch driver Mitchel van den Brink and co-driver Bart van Heun in a Can-Am Maverick R.
Local competitors also made a strong showing, with the UAE's Mansour Al Helei and co-driver Khalid Al Kendi finishing third, trailing the leader by 8 minutes and 39.8 seconds, thereby enhancing their bid for the SSV World Baja Cup title.
In the motorcycle category, McInnes recorded a time of 2 hours, 38 minutes, and 54.5 seconds on a KTM 450 RFR, outperforming fellow Briton Ethan Lane and Slovenia's Toni Mulec. However, mechanical issues led to the withdrawal of two-time champion Mohammed Al Balooshi and four-time quad winner Abdulaziz Ahli.
The UAE's Khalifa Al Bastaki topped the quad category with a time of 3 hours, 31 minutes, and 26.9 seconds, finishing ahead of compatriot Ali Al Marzooqi by 25 minutes and 26.5 seconds. The rally is set to conclude on Sunday with a final desert stage spanning 191.58 km of timed competition for FIM categories.