Dakar Rally prep
Aramcon gearing up for Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia
Tariq S. AlRammah’s performance in the Hail Toyota International Rally has him ready to tackle the world-famous Dakar.
An Aramcon rally driver has set his sights on the Dakar Rally after finishing on the podium at an event in Saudi Arabia.
Tariq S. AlRammah participated in the seventh round of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) World Cup for Cross Country Bajas — a three-day Hail Toyota International Rally event held in Saudi Arabia between Nov. 10 and Nov. 12.
“I am extremely happy to complete this rally safely winning a top five place in class T3 (lightweight class) and I’m hoping to improve my position before Dakar begins,” said AlRammah.
“I have also noticed the improvements that the event organizers make year-after-year. The event is getting better and better with the support from Hail Rally organizers,” he added.”The competition was tougher this year and I also noticed improvements made by all of the drivers. This is reflected in the rally’s atmosphere.
“I was fortunate to reach the podium, driving to the finish line safely. Using a different strategy this year, I achieved my goal with practice and preparation and taking my time, pacing myself to ensure the victory,” he said.
Dakar Rally comes to Saudi Arabia
The Hail Toyota International Rally event was a stepping stone to the 45th edition of Dakar, which will run from Dec. 31 to Jan, 15, 2023. The Dakar Rally, which will be hosted in Saudi Arabia for the fourth time, will finish on the Kingdom’s eastern sea border.
It will include new routes and provide many challenges for its participants. The 15 days of racing will comprise of a prologue and 14 stages, including a four-day excursion into the unexplored desert of the vast Rub’ al-Khali, or empty quarter.
A total of 455 vehicles, with 865 competitors from all over the world, will come to enjoy the thrill of rally sports and enjoy the Kingdom’s beautiful scenery.
AlRammah and his Volvo truck are expected at the Red Sea starting line before taking on the 8,549 km course — of which 4,706 km will be driven against the clock.
‘The entire experience was outstanding’
AlRammah will be participating in the rally for a fourth time and looking back at last year’s event, he said, “I found the entire experience to be outstanding. The event’s organizers, the track layout, and the spectacular routes, in addition to the adherence of high safety standards, exceeded all of my expectations.”
He also noticed local interest in the event as well as interest from those visiting the Kingdom for the first time to participate in Dakar 2023. “It’s nice to see what Saudi Arabia and its people have achieved. I noticed great interest from rally participants, who gave positive feedback regarding the rally’s organization and safety standards during the entire event. It was also a great experience to introduce and share the country’s local culture with my fellow drivers during the event,” he said.
The Dakar Rally’s theme this year focuses on the environment. The goal is to help support ambitious initiatives to promote and develop climate-change solutions and have low-emissions vehicles in the near future.
Safety key at Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally has stringent rules and regulations in place, and prior to the start of the event, organizers will inspect all of the vehicles to ensure that they meet them.
Those who do not meet the regulations will be immediately disqualified and not allowed to participate in the rally. In 2023, Dakar will be part of the FIA — where safety is the first priority.
“The rally will showcase Saudi Arabia’s talented pool of competitive drivers, showing the entire world what we can achieve in the spirit of competition. I look forward to this year’s event,” AlRammah said.
Caption for top photo: Tariq S. AlRammah’s performance at the Hail Rally has him geared up to tackle the world-famous Dakar Rally in 2023.