Toyota

Shifting up a gear

After a 4th place on the first edition of the Dakar on home turf in 2020, Saudi Arabia’s leading motorsport competitor moved up to the podium on the 44th edition last January. In doing so Yazeed Al Rajhi now occupies 3rd place overall after the first round of the W2RC. One of the major players in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies for the last eight seasons, the Saudi driver made an impressive debut in 2014 by getting on the final podium first time out. Once again 3rd in 2016 and twice just off the podium in 2019 and 2021, the Toyota Overdrive pilot has made a speciality out of the Bajas, taking the World Cup last year alongside his habitual WRC co-driver Michael Orr. A pairing that started with an accident but which didn’t stop them winning the Baja series, nor from taking second place on the Rallye du Maroc last October before climbing onto the podium in Jeddah. Since teaming up with the Irishman in rally-raid, Al Rajhi seems to have changed up a gear. For his fortieth year Yazeed will benefit from the new Toyota Overdrive Hilux T1+ winner of the last Dakar. Everything seems to have accelerated since last year for someone who has never been impatient…