Of those, 14 are entered in the Ultimate category, four in Challenger, nine in SSV and three in Stock. With no former winners present in the field, the Italian Baja will have a new crew on the top step of the podium.

Dania Akeel and Sébastien Delaunay had a disappointing outing at the last round in Greece but the top seeds arrive in Italy with a seven-point cushion in the FIA World Baja Cup standings in their Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux. The Challenger category-leading duo of Hamed Al-Wahaibi and Maciej Giemza are their nearest rivals in a Taurus Evo Max. Oman-based Al-Wahaibi also leads the Master driver section. 

Akeel tops the Ultimate category from Jordan Baja winner Saood Variawa and Frenchman Lionel Baud. Both Variawa (Toyota GR Hilux) and Baud (X-raid Mini JCW Rally) are present in Italy and will be chasing points in the overall classification and the Ultimate section. They are currently sixth and seventh in the overall FIA World Baja Cup. 

The Portuguese duo of Francisco Barreto and Paulo Fiuza and Emirati Khalid Al-Jafla and his navigator Andrei Rudnitskiy are also chasing FIA World Baja Cup points in a pair of Toyota Hilux Evos run by SVR and SRG Motorsports, respectively. UAE-based Aliyyah Koloc (Buggyra ZM Racing Red-Lined Revo) and her Polish team-mate Marcin Pasek round off the FIA World Baja Cup entrants in the Ultimate category. 

Al-Wahaibi’s closest rival for Challenger honours is currently the QMMF Team’s Abdullah Al-Kuwari. The former FIA Middle East rally champion is visiting the Italian Baja for the first time and teams up with Max Delfino for the second successive event in his Taurus Evo Max. 

The Qatari is 30 points adrift of Al-Wahaibi in the Challenger class and fifth in the battle for the overall FIA World Baja Cup. Dutchman Mitchel van den Brink and navigator Bart Van Heun won Baja Greece outright in their South Racing Can-Am Maverick R and are third in the Challenger points after missing the opening two rounds in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. 

Argentina-based Fernando Alvarez leads the SSV category by six points from Norwegian youngster Hedda Hosås but has given the Italian event a miss. That has opened the door for Hosås and her navigator Pol Tibau to take full advantage. She holds fourth in the overall championship and is also the leading Junior in an R-X Sport Can-Am. 

The Emirati Team Liwa duo of Mansour Al-Helai and Khaled Al-Kendi are third in the rankings – 16 points behind Alvarez and his navigator Xavier Panseri – and will be keen to repeat the maximum points’ haul they picked up in Greece earlier this month with R-X Sport. Pole Tomasz Białkowski and Dutch veteran Erik van Loon will also be chasing FIA World Cup points in the SSV class. 

The Stock category for series-production cross-country vehicles is developing into a three-horse race between the Nissans of Saudi drivers Al-Mashna Al-Shammeri and Majed Al-Thunayyan and Fernando Barreiros in his Isuzu D-Max. 

Al-Shammeri currently has a 16-point cushion over Al-Thunayyan with Barreiros in fourth behind the absent Abdullah Al-Shegawi. 

Gameiro’s absence opens the door for rivals in FIA European Baja Cup

Portugal’s Maria Gameiro and her Spanish navigator Rosa Romero have opted to miss the Italian Baja in their X-Raid Mini JCW Rally and that means the current FIA European Baja Cup leaders will cede ground to their rivals.

Gameiro currently holds a one-point lead over Poland’s Magdalena Zając in the overall championship and a similar cushion over the Proxcars TME Rally Team Toyota Hilux driver in the Ultimate category. 

Zając is also chasing Master driver honours with navigator Błażej Czekan and will be trying to defend a nine-point cushion over Czech driver Karel Trněný, the winner of the last round of the FIA European Baja Cup in Greece. Trněný and his navigator Václav Pritzl are third in the overall championship and the Ultimate class in their X-Force ACCR Ford F150 Evo. 

A disappointing start to the season sees the Lithuanian pairing of Benediktas Vanagas and Aisvydas Paliukenas down in fourth in the Ultimate standings after two rounds and in eighth overall. Vanagas was the pace-setter in Greece before losing a wheel on the third stage and the Gurtam Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics Hilux driver knows that he needs to pick up points quickly to kickstart his fading European title challenge.

The Ultimate category is well-supported by teams chasing FIA European Baja Cup points. Portugal’s José Rogeira is fifth in the standings and teams up with Paulo Marques in a Ford Ranger run by the 767/PRK Sport Rally Team. 

Fellow countrymen João Ramos and Jorge Carvalho wheel out a Toyota Hilux and the Romanian pairing of Costel Căşuneanu and Sergiu Itu will be hoping to build upon a strong showing in Greece when they return to action in a Mini Countryman R60 CC.

Poland’s Maríusz Wiatr and Łukasz Łaskawiec (Ford F-150 Evo) and the Hungarian duo of Lőrinc Mészáros and Albert Horn (M1 Motorsport Century CR7) complete the line-up. 

Portugal’s Dinis Rogeira and Nelson Ramos were the outright FIA European Baja Cup winners of the opening round in Spain in a 767/PRK Sport Rally Team Can-Am and the leading Junior driver is the only man currently registered for points in the Challenger category. He holds fifth in the FIA European Baja Cup’s standings behind fourth-placed Paulo Rodrigues, the current leader of the SSV class in a Rio Seco Racing Can-Am. 

The Portuguese and his navigator Fausto Mota hold nine-point leads over Murat Kapanoğlu and Aleksandr Trendafilov in the Can-Am-dominated SSV section. Rúben Rodrigues is two points further behind and teams up with Paulo Riu on this occasion.  

Rio Seco Racing’s Filipe Lopes/Gonçalo Reis and Poland’s Ernest Kús/Grzegorz Szymanski are also chasing SSV points in the FIA European Baja Cup in northern Italy. 

There are no Stock entrants chasing FIA European Baja Cup glory. Barreiros has scored 43 points but has now switched to the FIA World Baja Cup. 

Although not registered for either of the Baja Cups, German driver Paul Schmidt teams up with Dane Jeanette Kvick in an X-raid-entered Yamaha Fenic. Renowned French racing driver Stéphane Sarrazin will take part in the Baja’s Challenger category with Laurent Magat in a new high-voltage hybrid Minotor M1, but is also not registered for either Baja. 

The event is being organised by the ASD Fuoristrada Club 4x4 Pordenone.

In a traditionally compact route of 674.88km, competitors will tackle 432.20km against the clock (subject to final route checks). Friday’s action features a Shakedown stage at San Martino al Tagliamento for competitors to make final preparations before the 14.05km Prologue in the afternoon.

This will determine the starting order for two stages and four timed sections on Saturday, starting with a run of 84.10km between Cordenons and San Paolo. A second timed section of 75.79km between Madrisio and Basiliano brings the morning’s action to a close before the two sections are repeated on Saturday afternoon. 

A shorter Sunday will see teams tackle a section of 38.39km between Bonzicco and Dignano, starting at 09.00hrs, before the competitive action concludes with a run of 59.98km between Madrisio and Vacile. The podium finish takes place in Pordenone on Sunday afternoon. 

2026 Italian Baja – entry list:

Ultimate 

200. Dania Akeel (KSA)/Sébastian Delaunay (FRA)                                      Toyota Hilux Evo*

201. Saood Variawa (RSA)/François Cazalet (FRA)                                       Toyota Hilux Evo*

202. Lionel Baud (FRA)/Lucie Baud (FRA)                                                        X-Raid Mini JCW 3.0d*

203. Francisco Barreto (POR)/Paulo Fiuza (POR)                                          Toyota Hilux Evo*

222. Khalid Al-Jafla (UAE)/Andrei Rudnitskiy (LTU)                                      Toyota Hilux Evo*

205. Magdalena Zając (POL)/Błażej Czekan (POL)                                        Toyota Hilux+                                                  

206. Karel Trněný (CZE)/Václav Pritzl (CZE)                                                    Ford F-150 Evo+

207. Benediktas Vanagas (LTU)/Aisvydas Paliukenas (LTU)                      Toyota Hilux+

208. José Rogeira (POR)/Paulo Marques (POR)                                             Ford Ranger+

209. Costel Căşuneanu (ROU)/Sergiu Itu (ROU)                                            Mini Countryman R60 CC+

210. João Ramos (POR)/Jorge Carvalho (POR)                                               Toyota Hilux+

211. Aliyyah Koloc (UAE)/Marcin Pasek (POL)                                               Red-Lined Revo GTR*

212. Maríusz Wiatr (POL)/Łukasz Łaskawiec (POL)                                      Ford F-150 Evo+

213. Pal Lónyai (HUN)/Alexandra Miklos (HUN)                                           LPR Porsche Macan 

214. Adam Lacko (CZE)/Mirko Brun (ITA)                                                        Red-Lined Revo T1

215. Andre Schiumarini (ITA)/Daniele Saccheti (ITA)                                  Century CR6

216. Lőrinc Mészáros (HUN)/Albert Horn (HUN)                                          Century CR7+

217. Włodzimierz Grajek (POL)/Szymon Marciniak (POL)                          Toyota Hilux

218. Fabio Samsa (ITA)/Roberto Marzocco (ITA)                                          Toyota Hilux

Challenger 

300. Mitchel van den Brink (NED)/Bart van Heun (NED)                           Can-Am Maverick R*

301. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Max Delfino (FRA)                                     Taurus Evo Max*

302. Dinis Rogeira (POR)/Nelson Ramos (POR)                                             Can-Am Maverick X3+

303. Alexandre Pesci (SUI)/Stephan Kuhni (SUI)                                           Taurus Evo Max

304. Paul Spierings (NED)/Mark Salomons (NED)                                        Taurus Evo Max

305. Hamed Al-Wahaibi (OMA)/Maciej Giemza (POL)                                Taurus Evo Max*

306. Paul Schmidt (GER)/Jeanette Kvick (DEN)                                             X-raid Yamaha YXZ 1000R Turbo 

307. Marek Kubiczek (POL)/Dominik Ragiel (POL)                                        Taurus Evo Max

308. Marcin Nasiłowski (POL)/Michał Goleniewski (POL)                          Taurus T3 Max

309. Bartosz Kaziród (POL)/Rafal Jedrys (POL)                                              Taurus T3 Max

310. Martin Benko (SVK)/Marek Sýkora (SVK)                                              Taurus T3 Max

311. Rebecca Busi (ITA)/José Cornejo (CHI)                                                   Taurus Evo Max

312. Gianpaolo Bedin (ITA)/Sara Torrielli (ITA)                                             Buggy Raitec RT3B Maverick X3

313. Riccardo Benettolo (ITA)/Irene Saderini (ITA)                                      Taurus T3 Max

314. Stéphane Sarrazin (FRA)/Laurent Magat (FRA)                                    Minotor M1

SSV

400. Hedda Hosås (NOR)/Pol Tibau (ESP)                                                        Can-Am Maverick R*

401. Mansour Al-Helai (UAE)/Khalid Al-Kendi (UAE)                                   Can-Am Maverick R*

402. Tomasz Białkowski (POL)/Dariusz Baśkiewicz (POL)                           Polaris RXR Pro R*

403. Erik van Loon (NED)/Wouter Rosegaar (NED)                                      Can-Am Maverick R*

404. Paulo Rodrigues (POR)/Fausto Mota (POR)                                          Can-Am Maverick R +

405. Murat Kapanoğlu (BUL)/Aleksandr Trendafilov (BUL)                       Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR+

406. Rúben Rodrigues (POL)/Paulo Rui (POR)                                               Can-Am Maverick R +                 

407. Filipe Lopes (POR)/Gonçalo Reis (POR)                                                  Can-Am Maverick R +

408. Ernest Kús (POL)/Grzegorz Szymanski (POL)                                         Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR+            

409. Sean Haran (GBR)/Martin Hales (GBR)                                                   Polaris RZR Pro R     

410. Kevin Haran (GBR)/Jorge Jordão (POR)                                                  Polaris RZR Pro R     

411. Alexsandr Celiadin (LTU)/Nuno Morais (POR)                                      Can-Am Maverick R 

412. Martin Cisella (ITA)/Erika Mingozzi (ITA)                                               Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR

413. Tómas Kubiena (CZE)/Miroslav Losos (CZE)                                          Can-Am Maverick R 

414. Rodrigo Luppi (BRA)/Maykel Justo (BRA)                                              Polaris RZR Pro R Rally

415. Bruno Conti (BRA)/Jhonatan Ardigo (BRA)                                            Polaris RZR Pro R     

416. Massimo Salvatore (ITA)/Roberto Briani (ITA)                                     Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR

Stock

500. Al-Mashna Al-Shammeri (KSA)/Abdullah Al-Shammeri (KSA)                   Nissan Patrol*

501. Majed Al-Thunayyan (KSA)/Omar Al-Lahim (KSA)                              Nissan Patrol*                              

502. Fernando Barreiros (POR)/José Sá Pires (POR)                                    Isuzu D-Max*

*denotes registered for FIA World Baja Cup

+denotes registered for FIA European Baja Cup

Timetable of events

Thursday, June 25

Administration checks                                                        08.00-19.00hrs, Fiera - Pordenone

Scrutineering checks                                                           09.00-20.00hrs, Fiera, Pavilion 5 – Pordenone

Ceremonial start                                                                  21.30hrs, Piazza XX Settembre, Pordenone

Friday, June 26

Shakedown                                                                           09.00-12.30hrs – San Martino al Tagliamento

Pre-event press conference                                               14.30hrs - Media Centre

Prologue – Guilia Maroni, 14.05km                                 17.30hrs - first car

Saturday, June 27

Stage 1A – FCG1, Cordenons-San Paolo, 84.10km                08.30hrs – first car 

Stage 1B – Madrisio-Basiliano, 75.79km                        09.45hrs – first car 

Stage 2A – FVG 2, Cordenons-San Paolo, 84.10km                14.30hrs – first car 

Stage 2B – Madrisio-Basiliano, 75.79km                        15.45hrs – first car 

Sunday, June 28

Stage 3A – Tagliamento, Bonzicco-Dignano, 38.39km                09.00hrs – first car approx.

Stage 3B – Madrisio-Vacile, 59.98km                              09.40hrs – first car

Podium ceremony                                                               14.00hrs – Fiera, Pavilion 5 

Post-event press conference                                             15.00hrs – Fiera, Pavilion 5