UAE’S Helei claims World Baja Cup SSV, Den Brink clinches overall FIA crown

Mansour Al Helei roared through from third in the standings to claim the FIA World Baja Cup SSV crown on the final day of the season as Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah claimed the Dubai International Baja victory on Sunday.

For the UAE’s Mansour Al-Helei, the rally secured a first major championship success as he clinched the FIA World Baja Cup SSV title on home soil. With compatriot Khalid Al Kendi in the co-driver's seat of their Can-Am Maverick R, Helei had to adopt a cautious approach on the final day to finish fifth overall in Dubai.

Despite sky high engine temperatures throughout the final stage threatening to wreck his dreams, Helei nursed his car home to wrap up a successful championship campaign and deliver a prestigious international title for Emirati motorsport.

“For me, since I was a child, I always dreamt of being a world champion and today I am,” an overjoyed Helei said afterwards. “And I'm happy to do it with an Emirati navigator, full UAE flag and to showcase UAE potential with the limited resources we have. We made it. I'm very happy. And proud for sure.

“The stage was full of drama. My engine was overheating for exactly 180km. So I was driving very slow, but I wanted to bring it to the finish. I feel very excited, very honoured. I would love to send this win to my main sponsor and my only sponsor, Team Liwa, who believed in me. And for the first time we are the only Emiratis who won the world championship. So I'm very proud for it.”

Norway’s Hedda Hosas, one of Helei’s principal rivals for the SSV crown, finished seventh on Sunday alongside Spanish co-driver Pau Tibau, climbing to 11th overall. With Argentina’s Fernando Alvarez having crashed out of Saturday’s stage, the final event brought a dramatic conclusion to a tight championship decider between the three contenders in Dubai.

Also celebrating were Dutchman Mitchel van den Brink and Britain’s Alex McInnes who emerged with the top prizes, snatching the FIA and FIM World Cup titles on the dunes in Al Qudra.

For Van Den Brink, the title was claimed in dramatic fashion after championship leader Francisco Barreto suffered a devastating engine failure just 50km into the final stage, ending his hopes of securing the crown.

Van den Brink finished just two seconds behind Nasser Al-Attiyah on the final stage to secure second place overall in the rally and clinch the World Cup crown, while Attiyah celebrated his fourth victory since the event adopted its current Baja format in 2016 and his 14th success overall.

Britain’s Alex McInnes completed a dominant performance in the motorcycle category, securing both the Dubai International Baja victory and the FIM World Baja Cup title after winning the final stage ahead of compatriot Ethan Lane. There was also a home victory in the quad category, where the UAE’s Khalifa Al-Bastaki emerged triumphant following the retirement of four-time defending champion Abdulaziz Ahli.

The final day’s action featured 179.56km of timed competition for FIA crews and 191.58km for FIM motorcycle and quad riders, with the demanding Al Qudra desert providing one last test of speed, navigation and endurance. An enthusiastic crowd of spectators turned out to watch the action unfold across the dunes, adding to the atmosphere as the competitors battled for the final honours of the weekend.

Attiyah, alongside French co-driver Max Delfino in their Optimus MD Rallye, completed the final special stage in 2hr 48min 30.6sec, narrowly edging Van den Brink and co-driver Bart van Heun in their Can-Am Maverick R to claim the event overall victory. Despite the slender margin on Sunday, the Qatari’s commanding performance on Saturday ensured he finished the rally with an overall advantage of 5min 18.7sec.

“We are very happy,” said Attiyah who added victory in Dubai to the already confirmed FIA Middle East Baja Cup. “We are delighted with another win here in the Baja, and it is also nice that we have won the Middle East Cup. It was amazing. We enjoyed it a lot with the MD Optimus because we know that, with a big car like this, it is not easy in the camel grass.”

For Van den Brink, however, the final stage delivered a dramatic reversal of fortune in the championship battle. Portugal’s Francisco Barreto had arrived in Dubai leading the FIA World Baja Cup standings and needed only a fifth-place finish to secure the title. But disaster struck just 50km into Sunday’s stage when the oil pressure dropped, signalling an engine failure which brought his challenge to a premature end, leaving the championship wide open.

Van den Brink seized his opportunity in emphatic fashion, finishing just two seconds behind Al-Attiyah on the final stage to claim second place overall in the rally. While Barreto was left to reflect on a cruel end to his championship hopes, it was the Dutchman who celebrated the FIA World Baja Cup crown, completing a remarkable final-day turnaround in the season-long title battle.

Sergei Remennik and co-driver Aleksei Ignatov produced an impressive final-day performance, taking third on the stage, 3min 27.1sec behind Al-Attiyah, and climbing two places to secure the final overall podium position, 15min 49.3sec behind the winner. Oman’s Hamed Al-Wahaibi, partnered by François Cazalet, finished fourth on Sunday and moved up three positions to claim fourth overall.

Britain’s Alex McInnes completed a commanding victory in the motorcycle category of the 2026 Dubai International Baja and secured the FIM World Baja Cup title, winning Sunday’s 191.58km Dubai Sports Council Stage 2 to finish ahead of compatriot Ethan Lane and Slovenia’s Toni Mulec.

Riding his KTM 450, McInnes followed Saturday’s stage victory with another impressive performance across the Al Qudra desert, completing the final special stage in 2hr 39min 38.7sec. The Briton finished 3min 17.7sec ahead of Lane aboard his Yamaha YZF 450, while Mulec took third on the day, a further 2min 52.7sec behind.

McInnes completed the rally with a 6min 35.6sec over Lane and improving on his runner-up finish in last year’s Dubai International Baja. The triumph also crowned an outstanding championship campaign for the Briton, who had not originally planned to contest the full season. Mulec claimed the final podium position, 14min 17.4sec behind the winner.

McInnes was understandably elated as he arrived at the finish line knowing his title success would soon be confirmed.

“I opened the whole stage today and I wanted to push, to show the speed and I really enjoyed it,” he said afterwards. “I think you can’t go slow when you have a bike this loud. The guys did an amazing job. It looks great. And yeah, some people got overtaken by a pink bike.”

Poland’s Konrad Dąbrowski, winner of the previous two editions, was unable to repeat his Dubai success. The KTM rider finished fourth on Sunday, 12min 22.3sec behind McInnes, and also took fourth in the final overall classification, 22min 02.4sec off the winning pace. His result confirmed that Dubai would crown a new motorcycle champion after two consecutive years of Polish dominance.

The UAE’s Khalifa Al-Bastaki celebrated a commanding home victory in the quad category, completing the Dubai International Baja 41min 41.1sec ahead of compatriot Ali Almarzouqi with Saudi Arabia’s Hani Alnoumesi completing the podium.

Al-Bastaki’s triumph followed his victory at the Qatar International Baja the previous weekend and ended Abdulaziz Ahli’s four-year winning streak after the defending champion retired with mechanical problems on Saturday.

Following the conclusion of the final desert stage, competitors returned to Dubai Festival City for the ceremonial finish of the Dubai International Baja, where the leading drivers and riders were welcomed by spectators celebrating the end of three days of international motorsport.

The closing ceremony provided a fitting finale to the event, with trophies presented to the rally’s leading competitors and the FIA World Baja Cup champions recognised at the conclusion of their season. The event also proved significant in several FIM World Cup categories, with the results in Dubai helping to shape the championship battles.

Beyond the competition itself, the Dubai International Baja continues to reinforce the emirate’s reputation as a leading destination for international motorsport. First held in 1979, the event has become one of Dubai’s longest-running sporting fixtures, attracting competitors from around the world while bringing the excitement of cross-country rallying closer to residents and visitors.

The event also forms part of a packed November sporting calendar in Dubai, reflecting the Dubai Sports Council’s commitment to expanding international events, increasing participation and encouraging greater community engagement through sport.

Issa Mohammed Sharif Al Marzouqi, Director of the Sports Events Department, Dubai Sports Council, said:

“For us, obviously Dubai International Baja is in the DNA of UAE, and particularly that of Dubai. Since 1979, it has kept on going and it is one of the oldest sports events in Dubai. We continue pushing as Dubai with the new leadership of the new board of directors of Dubai Sports Council, the new vision, the new strategy that we launched last year, increasing participation numbers, the number of international events and the number of visitors that come to the city.

“We continue on pushing and Dubai Baja has an important platform for the city. We have over 140 competitors in this event so for us, we want to just see more numbers and we always set targets to look at how we can get more numbers.

“November is the busiest period of the year. There are seven major events and over 90 events in this month alone. So it tells you how busy we are that every day there’s something going on and we continue pushing the boundaries, continuing pushing for the health and wellbeing of the community in Dubai.”

The successful conclusion of the 2026 Dubai International Baja also highlighted the scale of the collaboration required to deliver an international motorsport event across such varied locations. From the opening Prologue at Mushrif Park to the demanding desert stages at Al Qudra and the ceremonial finish at Dubai Festival City, the rally brought together world-class competition and some of the emirate’s most distinctive settings.

For the Emirates Motorsport Organization (EMSO), the event represented another successful chapter in the rally’s long history, made possible through the commitment of government partners, sponsors, officials and volunteers whose efforts ensured the smooth running of three days of competition.

Mr Mahir Badri, CEO of the Emirates Motorsport Organization (EMSO), said:

“This year’s Dubai International Baja has been a tremendous success, and we are proud to have welcomed some of the world’s finest drivers and riders for another memorable edition of this historic event. The competition has been exceptional, but what makes this rally truly special is the opportunity to showcase the beauty and diversity of the UAE, and particularly Dubai, to competitors, teams and audiences around the world.

“From the green surroundings of Mushrif Park to the spectacular dunes of Al Qudra and the vibrant setting of Dubai Festival City, each location has brought something unique to the event. These places remind us that the Dubai International Baja is about much more than motorsport. It is also about bringing people together, celebrating our landscapes and sharing the spirit and hospitality of the UAE with the world.

“Taking a rally into a place like this takes courage, trust and the hard work of many people. I would like to thank Dubai Municipality and Dubai Public Parks for making it possible. My sincere thanks also go to all the government entities supporting the rally, including our strategic partner, Dubai Police.

“Finally, I want to recognise the many people working quietly behind the scenes, day and night, to make this event happen. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your time, effort and care. Your contribution matters, and we are deeply grateful.”

The Dubai International Baja opened with a spectator-friendly Prologue at Mushrif Park on Friday, November 6, offering the public free access to international motorsport in one of Dubai’s most popular outdoor destinations.

The competitive stages took place across the demanding desert terrain of Al Qudra, where speed, navigation and reliability determined the final results.

Dubai Festival City again served as the central event hub, hosting the ceremonial start and finish activities and providing a focal point for competitors, teams and spectators.

The Dubai International Baja is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, and is organised by the Emirates Motorsport Organization (EMSO).

The Dubai International Baja is brought to you thanks to the strategic support of the Dubai Government and its entities, including Dubai Police, Dubai Sports Council, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Public Parks, Wild Affairs Region Department, Dubai Civil Defence and Dubai Customs, as well as the Roads and Transport Authority.

The Dubai International Baja also enjoys the support of Al Futtaim Toyota, the event’s Official Automotive Partner. Dubai Festival City Mall is the official hosting venue of the Dubai International Baja.

Energy Partner ENOC, Dubai Air Wing and Dubai Sports TV also support the event. Al Jalila Foundation is the Dubai International Baja’s Social Responsibility Partner.