The inaugural BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal begins in in Grândola, which will serve as the race’s main hub, save for a stage in the neighbouring Spanish city of Badajoz.
Want to get caught up on what happened at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge? The Checkered Flag has your back.
Konrad Dąbrowski was less than 5 minutes shy of being the best bike at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, but that was more than enough to win the Rally2 overall.
Abdulaziz Ahli has never lost the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in the Quad category since 2021, and the streak continued for a fourth consecutive year in 2024.
Mansour Al-Helei entered the final day of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge leading Yasir Seaidan by just 1:12, and sealed the deal en route to the win on his home turf.
2024 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge: Austin Jones holds off Baciuska in Can-Am Challenger 1–2
3 Mins read
Rokas Baciuška had an oddly impressive streak of finishing 2nd in Challenger in 4 straight stages in Abu Dhabi, but that wasn’t enough to catch Austin Jones.
Team-mates Aaron Marè and Ross Branch were the only entrants in RallyGP at Abu Dhabi as Marè scored Hero MotoSports’ first World Rally-Raid Championship win in relief duty.
After crashing out of the 2023 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge while leading, Nasser Al-Attiyah returned with a vengeance en route to Prodrive’s third World Rally-Raid Championship overall win.
Despite their rivals’ best efforts, every class leader entering the fifth and final day in Abu Dhabi walked away with the overall win.
Rally raiders will need to step up their game even more as the final Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge picture continues to crystallise, with every FIA class and Rally2 still up for grabs.
2024 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge: Juan Cruz Yacopini disqualified for Stage 3 crew assistance
2 Mins read
After a crash with Martin Prokop in Stage 3 knocked him out of Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge contention, Juan Cruz Yacopini has also been disqualified for his crew being within 1 km of the car while it’s in the SS.
2024 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge: Quintero blazes to Stage 3 win, Moraes goes down in blaze
4 Mins read
Stage 3 of the ADDC was a mixed bag of epic proportions for Toyota Gazoo Racing: while Seth Quintero scored his first stage win with the Hilux, Lucas Moraes’ Hilux got cremated as he crossed the finish.
Already out of the race with a mechanical issue, João Ferreira has also been disqualified from the ADDC for using the satellite phone while still in the car and having crew too close to the car on the SS.
From Michael Docherty crashing at the start to Guillaume de Mévius’ vertebra compression, Stage 2 of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge racked up quite a body count.
With Team Audi Sport shutting down their rally raid programme after winning the Dakar Rally due to a lack of parts, the FIA has fined them €750,000 because they had signed up for the full World Rally-Raid Championship.
Michael Docherty is the first Rally2 rider to win a rally stage among all bikes since 2021 after winning Stage 1 in Abu Dhabi ahead of fellow South African Aaron Marè.
Nasser Al-Attiyah’s effort to rebound from crashing out of last year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is off to a good start as he led the Prologue stage on Monday.
