Media Information
Dubai International Baja
07 March 2018
Dubai International Baja 2018 – Round 2, FIA
Cross Country Rally World Cup
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MINI to contest Dubai International Baja, round 2 of the
2018 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup. -
Jakub ‘Kuba’ Przygonski and co-driver Tom Colsoul aim for
Dubai desert success in a MINI John Cooper Works Rally. -
Dubai International Baja signals start of three back-to-back
desert-based rounds of the 2018 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup
Munich. The
Dubai International Baja, round 2 of the 2018 FIA Cross
Country Rally World Cup, is the first of three back-to-back races to
be held in desert conditions – a stark contrast to round 1 of the
World Cup, Baja Russia (Northern Forest), which took place on frozen
and snow covered forest tracks.
The Dubai International Baja – until 2015 formerly the Dubai
International Rally – is the longest running motorsport event in the
United Arab Emirates and features many local rally crews mixing it
with international race crews. As you’d expect, local knowledge can
play an important role over two days of racing especially off-road,
where choosing the wrong line can result in difficult driving conditions.
Dubai’s desert arena will once again see MINI Motorsport take up the
challenges of sand, stone tracks and rising temperatures. In the 2017
edition, MINI secured third overall after a very tough race. For this
year’s event, the pairing of Jakub ‘Kuba’ Przygonski (POL) and
co-driver Tom Colsoul (BEL) will be racing for the win at the controls
of a MINI John Cooper Works Rally (#304). Presently, after the first
of 11 rounds, Przygonski is fourth overall in the 2018 FIA Cross
Country Rally World Cup. Racing under the banner of Orlen Team, the
crew will be fully supported in Dubai by MINI Motorsport partner X-raid.
Dubai International Baja starts on Thursday 8th March with
scrutineering of race vehicles and official signing on of race crews.
This will then be followed with an evening opening ceremony. Race
action gets underway on Friday 9th March with Leg 1 and a
race distance of approximately 175km. Saturday 10th March
(Leg 2) will consist of a similar distance before the finish flag
drops to mark the end of the race.
Jakub ‘Kuba’ Przygonski: “Tom and I are really
looking forward to competing at the Dubai International Baja – it
feels like a long time has passed since we last raced on sand and in
warm temperatures. Baja Russia was a good start in which to
reacclimatise with the MINI John Cooper Works Rally, and now we are
all back on the sand I hope to make good use of the car’s performance
and our growing experience together.”
For more information about Dubai International Baja 2018, please
visit the host’s event home page here.
FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup 2018 calendar