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The kingdom’s top off-road racing team is set to compete, starting today, at the Andalucia Rally taking place in southern Spain.
The Bahrain Raid Xtreme (BRX) team is gearing up to compete in the final rally of the first-ever World Rally-Raid Championship, building on their momentum from the penultimate Moroccan race.
Lead driver Sebastian Loeb and co-driver Fabian Lurquin head into the final round of the championship in their BRX Prodrive Hunter needing to wipe out a 22-point advantage held by Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah in the drivers’ title race.
“We saw in Morocco that we were on the pace, so I hope to be competitive in Andalucia,” said Loeb.
“For the championship, we are aiming for the perfect result, and to get the maximum points available. Our goal is to manage our rally as best as possible.
“It will be different from what we’ve had in the more open nature of cross-country, with many tracks that should suit my driving. So I hope to be performing well there, with the target to win the rally.”
The stage wins in Andalucia carry bonus points, which could give the BRX crew the extra push they need to bring home the silverware.
In addition, the uncertainty of rally raids, which run over difficult terrain and present stern navigational challenges, means the title race may still produce a tense finish.
The stages in Spain will suit nine-time World Rally Champion Loeb, as they are similar to those in last year’s Baja Aragon where he led before a small technical problem denied him a certain victory.
“Andalucia should be a completely different event to Morocco, but we are well prepared for it,” said Gus Beteli, the BRX Team Principal.
“We have a shot at the drivers and manufacturers championships, and we’re focussed to get as many points as possible after the speed we had in Morocco.
“It’s great to have the GCK Motorsport crew back with us after their brilliant win, so I hope we can have such a strong result as we did last time around.”
The Andalucía Rally is the fourth leg of the FIA and FIM Cross Country World Championship. The third edition will be held from October 19 to 23.
