Despite initial fears due to a hand injury in September, Yasir Seaidan announced Monday that he will contest the 2023 Dakar Rally and begin a pursuit of the World Rally-Raid Championship in the T4 category. He also intends to race in the T1+ class in the FIA Middle East Cup for Cross-Country Bajas and Saudi Toyota Desert Rally Championship.
“Dakar is around the corner, and, God willing, I will be ready to participate in the Dakar World Desert Rally Championship,” said Seaidan. “I have decided to participate in the World Desert Rally-Raid Championship, the strongest championship next season, in the T4 category because I wanted to achieve my dream of winning all car categories. I will also participate in the Middle East Baja Championship and the Saudi Baja Championship in the T1+ category.”
Seaidan finished runner-up in the 2021 FIA Bajas World Cup to fellow Saudi Yazeed Al-Rajhi with two wins at the Sharqiyah Baja and Jordan Baja. In March, he ran the Middle East Cup’s Qatar International Baja and placed third behind reigning Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah and Al-Rajhi.
However, his season was upended in September when he underwent surgery for a torn ligament in his right hand that resulted in hospitalisation and wearing a cast. Although this ended his 2022 racing and sparked concerns about running the 2023 Dakar Rally, he was able to recover in time for the latter and will race the #410 SSV in T4.
He made his Dakar début in 2014, where he drove an SSV. Two years later, he finished third in the T2 class. A three-year absence ended when the Rally began racing in Saudi Arabia, where he finished ninth in 2020, thirty-ninth in 2021, and retired due to a wreck in 2022. He had finished as high as fourth in the 2022 Rally in Stage #4 prior to his crash.
The 2023 Dakar Rally begins on 31 December 2022 as the first of five races on the W2RC calendar. Saudi Baja on 2–4 February will be the first round of the Middle East Cup.
