Omani International Rally Driver Hamad Al-Wahaibi tops the overall standings for the World Cup Baja after his stellar performance in the Italian round.
Omani international driver Hamad Al-Wahaibi has continued his impressive rise in motorsport by taking the lead in the overall standings of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, following a strong showing at Baja Italy, the fourth round of the current season.
Al-Wahaibi secured 44 valuable points from the Italian event, a result that propelled him to the top of the overall standings. He also maintained his dominance in the Challenger category, where he leads with a total of 205 points, despite competing in a less powerful vehicle compared to the higher-performance T1+ class that typically battles for overall victories.
The Omani driver made a positive start to the event, finishing fifth overall in the Prologue stage before tackling the opening special stage, Madresio, which spanned 156.29 kilometers.
However, his campaign faced an early setback on the first day when he and his co-driver encountered a technical issue with the navigation system, costing them several minutes during the opening half of the stage. Despite this challenge, Al-Wahaibi recovered well to finish the day second in the Challenger category, collecting crucial points to strengthen his championship lead.
On the second day, his rally came to an early end after his car suffered an accident when the front-right tire struck a tree root near the course. The impact caused damage to the front suspension system, forcing him to retire before reaching the finish line.
Despite the setback, Al-Wahaibi emerged from Baja Italy with significant gains, thanks to the championship’s points system, which awards points for individual stage results in addition to the final classification. His total haul of 44 points was enough to secure the overall lead in the World Cup standings while extending his advantage in the Challenger category.
Speaking after the event, Al-Wahaibi expressed satisfaction with his overall performance, highlighting the strong pace shown throughout the race. He noted that the accident was caused by failing to spot the tree root positioned close to the racing line.
