• Barreto, Van den Brink and Variawa all entered for decisive FIA World Baja Cup finale
• UAE’s Mansour Al-Helei targets SSV world title on home soil, just 21 points behind championship leader
• Challenger and Teams championships also set for dramatic conclusion following Qatar International Baja
• Leading motorcycle and quad competitors, including UAE stars, prepare for November 5th to 8th event

Free spectator access to opening competition and spectacular Ceremonial Start at Festival Bay
Dubai, UAE, November 5th, 2026: The three drivers still capable of winning the FIA World Baja Cup are all entered for this week’s Dubai International Baja, setting the stage for a dramatic championship finale following the decisive penultimate round in Qatar.

Portugal’s Francisco Barreto will arrive as championship leader in his Toyota Hilux IMT Evo, with fellow Toyota Hilux driver Saood Variawa of South Africa and Dutchman Mitchel van den Brink the only other competitors still capable of winning the overall FIA World Baja Cup.

The event also promises a thrilling home-soil title challenge for the UAE’s Mansour Al-Helei, who will be aiming to secure the FIA World Baja Cup SSV crown in front of his home supporters. The Emirati is one of three drivers battling for the championship, alongside Argentina’s Fernando Álvarez and Norway’s Hedda Hosås, with all three entered for what promises to be one of the closest and most exciting title deciders of the weekend.

Organised by the Emirates Motorsports Organization (EMSO), Dubai International Baja takes place from November 5th to 8th and will conclude the FIA World Baja Cup and FIA Middle East Baja Cup seasons, while also hosting the penultimate round of the FIM Bajas World Cup.

The Qatar International Baja transformed the overall World Cup picture, reducing the number of eligible title contenders to three and ensuring the championship will be decided in Dubai.

Barreto has emerged as the favourite following an outstanding season in his Toyota Hilux IMT Evo.

The Portuguese driver and navigator Paulo Fiúza have produced a remarkable sequence of results, demonstrating the pace and consistency of their Toyota throughout the campaign while establishing a commanding position in the Ultimate category.

Barreto holds a 64-point advantage over Variawa in the Ultimate standings, although the South African remains mathematically capable of overturning that deficit in his Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux.

Variawa, competing alongside navigator Charan Moore, will be seeking to recover from a difficult Qatar event in which punctures and penalties severely compromised his championship challenge. His presence ensures that Toyota machinery will be well represented in the Ultimate title contest.

Van den Brink provides the third contender for the overall World Cup title, while also leading the Challenger category in his Can-Am Maverick R.

The Dutchman, who won the SSV title in 2025, has enjoyed another highly competitive campaign and will face a final challenge from Oman’s Hamed Al-Wahaibi, who is also entered for Dubai.

Al-Wahaibi trails Van den Brink by 81 points in the Challenger standings, leaving him with a mathematical opportunity to take the title, although the Dutchman holds a commanding advantage.

For local spectators, the SSV championship could provide the most compelling contest of all.

Al-Helei, competing alongside fellow Emirati Khalid Al Kendi in a Can-Am Maverick R, will be aiming to secure a world title in front of his home supporters.

Argentina’s Álvarez and French navigator Xavier Panseri regained the championship lead with victory in Qatar, while Norway’s Hosås, partnered by Spain’s Pol Tibau, remains firmly in contention.

With just 21 points covering the three leading drivers, the championship could be decided by the smallest of margins over Dubai’s challenging desert stages.

The FIA World Baja Cup Teams Championship is also heading for a decisive conclusion, with R-X Sport leading South Racing Can-Am by 55 points following Qatar.

The presence of Al-Helei and Hosås in the R-X Sport line-up, alongside Álvarez and Van den

Brink among the South Racing-associated contenders, adds another dimension to the weekend’s competition.

Several other leading international competitors will add to the strength of the entry, including newly crowned FIA Middle East Baja Cup champion Nasser Al-Attiyah.

The Qatari star secured the regional Drivers’ Championship alongside navigator Max Delfino with victory on home soil last weekend. The pair are entered for Dubai in their Optimus MD Rallye.

Saudi Arabia’s Majed Al-Thunayyan, who has already secured the FIA World Baja Cup Stock title, is also entered and will be seeking to complete his championship-winning season with another strong performance.

The event’s Official Automotive Partner, Al-Futtaim Toyota, will once again support the organisation and delivery of Dubai International Baja, providing vehicles for the demanding operational requirements of an international rally contested across remote desert terrain.

The potential for title honours for Toyota next weekend is an added bonus as the company gets set to continue its long association with the Dubai International Baja.

Jacques Brent, Managing Director Toyota and Lexus UAE at Al-Futtaim, Official Automotive Partner of Dubai International Baja, “Motorsport has always had a strong presence in the UAE, and the Dubai International Baja is an important part of that history. For Al-Futtaim Toyota, the event gives us an opportunity to experience how our vehicles perform in some of the most demanding driving conditions.

From the challenging desert terrain to the complexities of navigating the course, the Baja puts vehicles through conditions that test their capabilities in ways that everyday driving cannot. The insights we gain from these experiences are invaluable, particularly as we continue to focus on the reliability, durability and performance our customers expect from Toyota. We are proud to support the UAE’s growing motorsport community.”

The motorcycle competition features an equally impressive line-up, including leading FIM Bajas World Cup contender Alex McInnes and Poland’s Konrad Dąbrowski, who claimed his fourth Qatar International Baja motorcycle victory last weekend.

McInnes finished second in Qatar to strengthen his championship challenge, and the two riders are set to renew their rivalry in Dubai.

The UAE’s Mohammed Al Balooshi, one of the country’s most successful off-road motorcycle competitors and a former Dubai International Baja winner, will provide a major home attraction.

The quad competition also promises an exciting contest, with all three podium finishers from Qatar entered for Dubai.

The UAE’s Khalifa Al-Bastaki, who won in Qatar, will face compatriot Abdulaziz Ahli, who finished second, while Saudi Arabia’s Hani Al-Noumesi, third in Qatar, is also among the entries.

Their presence provides a particularly strong regional dimension to the FIM competition as the World Cup approaches its conclusion.

H.E. Khalid Ben Sulayem, President of the Emirates Motorsports Organization, said:

“The Qatar International Baja has created a fascinating situation for our event, with the three remaining overall FIA World Baja Cup title contenders all entered for Dubai and several other championships still to be decided.

“We are particularly excited by the SSV battle, where Mansour Al-Helei has a genuine opportunity to challenge for a world title on home soil. With only 21 points separating the leading three contenders, it promises to be one of the highlights of the weekend.

“The motorcycle and quad entries are also exceptionally strong, with several leading competitors from Qatar coming to Dubai and our UAE riders determined to make their mark in front of their home supporters.

“Dubai International Baja has become an important fixture on the international motorsport calendar, and we are delighted to provide the stage for the conclusion of another FIA World Baja Cup season.

“We are grateful to our partners and the government authorities whose support enables us to deliver an event of this scale, and we look forward to welcoming competitors and spectators to another memorable edition.”

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

The competitive stages will take place across the demanding desert terrain of Al Qudra, where the combination of speed, navigation and reliability will determine the final championship outcomes.

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

Excitement is building ahead of Friday’s Prologue, when international competitors in cars, motorcycles and quads will take to a specially prepared course within one of Dubai’s best-known outdoor recreational destinations.

The action will take place in two sessions, from 10:00 to 11:30 and from 13:30 to 16:30, with a break for Friday prayers. Spectator admission will be free, subject to venue capacity, with designated viewing areas providing safe opportunities to experience international rally-raid competition at close range.

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.