After making her identify in side-by-side automobiles, Dania Akeel will transfer as much as the highest class of rally raid when she begins competing in a Toyota Hilux Overdrive within the Final (T1) class in 2025, competing in each the Saudi Toyota Championship and World Rally-Raid Championship. Her entry shall be ready by Overdrive Racing.
Akeel received to drive an Hilux Overdrive in October on the W2RC Subsequent Gen Tryouts, which allowed racers from different classes to pilot T1 automobiles on a check course following the W2RC season-ending Rallye du Maroc. Mentioned Hilux is often pushed by Yazeed Al-Rajhi, a fellow Saudi competitor.
“We determined with the help of Abdul Latif Jameel Toyota, and with the help of all of the sponsors, their help and encouragement, that I’ll take part within the T1+ class with the Overdrive workforce,” Akeel informed SSC Saudi Sports activities Firm on the Dakar Rally. “Our champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi is racing with them, and so they assured me that they’ve a spot and a automotive, and the sponsor helps this choice.”
She usually races within the Challenger (previously T3) class, ending eighth at school in her Dakar début in 2022; she was one of many first Saudi girls to enter the race, which moved to her house nation in 2020. Akeel signed with Wevers Sport to race a Taurus T3 Max beginning with the 2023 Rallye du Maroc, the place she completed sixth amongst T3 entrants.
Her 2024 Dakar Rally was upended by a clutch failure ninety-one kilometres earlier than the tip of the Chrono Stage on Friday. She had been twelfth total amongst Challenger entrants with a greatest end of seventh in Stage #3.
“The Dakar Rally is the primary spherical of this championship, and I’ll profit significantly by persevering with in the identical class as we will earn factors in the identical class on the similar time,” she defined. “I also can see how I’ll adapt to the bigger automotive, the T1+ with Overdrive, which naturally requires larger and stronger expertise. There are numerous elements wherein it is going to be extra highly effective and lots of issues shall be at the next stage than the automotive I’ve now.”
She additionally described the transfer to the highest class as a “long-term technique.” Many in her present class have additionally made the soar together with reigning W2RC T3 champion Seth Quintero, who additionally races a Hilux.
The Toyota Hilux is without doubt one of the high rally raid automobiles at this time, having gained the final two Dakar Rallies in addition to each editions of the W2RC thus far courtesy of Toyota Gazoo Racing. TGR and Overdrive helped the Hilux win all 5 W2RC rounds in 2023, with Al-Rajhi claiming two rounds on the Abu Dhabi Desert Problem and Morocco; Al-Rajhi and Juan Cruz Yacopini additionally represented Overdrive because the second- and third-place drivers within the championship.
