Tuesday 30 / June / 2026
Muscat: Hamed Al Wahaibi has carved out a place in Omani sporting history after becoming the first Omani to lead the standings of a World Cup event, opening a 24-point advantage at the halfway stage of the 2026 FIA World Baja Cup following the Italian Baja.
The landmark achievement came despite the Omani driver retiring on the final stage of the fourth round of the eight-event championship; a strong points haul throughout the weekend lifted him to the top of the overall standings.
Driving a Taurus in the Challenger category, Al Wahaibi now leads the FIA World Baja Cup with 205 points, ahead of Saudi Arabia's Dania Akeel (181), Norway's Hedda Hosås (176) and South Africa's Saood Variawa (166). He also enjoys a commanding lead in the Challenger standings, ahead of Qatar's Abdulaziz Al Kuwari (160) and the Netherlands' Mitchel van den Brink (156).
Even more remarkably, Al Wahaibi has climbed to the top of the overall championship while competing in a Challenger-class car, which is less powerful than the premier T1+ category machinery driven by several of his closest rivals.
According to a press statement from Al Wahaibi's team, he is the first Omani to lead the standings of a World Cup event, making it a landmark achievement for the Sultanate. The official FIA race report also confirmed his rise to the top, describing him as the "new outright leader of the FIA World Baja Cup."
The Italian Baja proved to be a test of resilience from start to finish.
Al Wahaibi's campaign nearly unravelled before the rally even began when he rolled his Taurus during the shakedown after striking a tree stump, cracking the windscreen. Undeterred, he recovered to finish fifth in the prologue before producing another impressive performance on Saturday.
During the 156.29km Madrisio stage, Al Wahaibi and his Polish co-driver, Maciej Giemza, encountered a navigation system problem beyond the team's control, costing them valuable minutes. Despite the setback, they fought back to finish second in the Challenger category for the day, collecting crucial championship points.
Disaster struck on Sunday's final 94.42km stage when, still adapting to Baja rally navigation after a career in conventional rallying, Al Wahaibi clipped the root of a tree close to the course. The impact damaged the front-right suspension and forced his retirement.
However, the FIA World Baja Cup awards points for performances on individual stages as well as the final classification, enabling the Omani to collect 44 valuable points.
Combined with setbacks suffered by several championship rivals, including Al Kuwari's rollover and retirement, the haul was enough to propel him into the outright championship lead.
Despite the retirement, Al Wahaibi was upbeat about both his pace and the progress he continues to make in Baja rallying.
"The car was great, and everything went well throughout the Baja. But we did not notice the tree root, which led to our contact with it and damage to the car," he said.
The experienced rally driver, whose career has been built largely in conventional rallying, said he was encouraged by his growing competitiveness in the discipline.
"I am very happy because my speed was good, and I have a long-term plan to participate in the World Cup. Also, my main goal is to score valuable points in the competition for the Challenger class title, especially given the extensive experience that my competitors possess in Baja rallies."
Al Wahaibi said his approach for the remainder of the season would be shaped by the bigger championship picture rather than outright speed.
"We trust our ability to compete until the end of the season, and I must think about the championship and not push to the absolute limits in every stage, as this is the fundamental point of difference from classic rallies."
The FIA World Baja Cup now heads to Baja España Aragón in Spain later this month before rounds in Portugal, Qatar and Dubai.
With four events remaining, Al Wahaibi will carry both the overall championship lead and a slice of Omani sporting history into the second half of the season as he bids for one of the biggest international honours in the country's motorsport history.
