Latest news with #Al-Rajhi
Kuwait Times
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Kuwait Times
Rally champion Al-Rajhi eyes September return
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rajhi, the reigning Dakar Rally champion, aims to resume competitive racing by September following a serious accident in Jordan that left him with two broken vertebrae. Al-Rajhi, 43, became the first Saudi to win the Dakar Rally in January, completing the 12-stage race nearly four minutes ahead of South African rival Henk Lategan. The event, relocated to Saudi Arabia in 2020 after years in South America, originally followed a Europe-to-Africa route but shifted due to security concerns after 2007. 'I am gradually recovering from the injury I sustained in Aqaba last April while participating in the Jordan Baja,' Al-Rajhi told Reuters on Tuesday, referencing the accident that flipped his car during the rally. His co-driver, Germany's Timo Gottschalk, was also seriously injured. 'I am following the treatment and rehabilitation program strictly under the supervision of a specialised medical team, amid high morale and great determination to return.' Al-Rajhi, who competes for his own team Yazeed Racing, said he expects to return in September at Rally Portugal. 'God willing, I anticipate resuming participation in competitions in the last quarter of the 2025 season,' he added, noting his plans to rejoin the FIA World Baja Cup, FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, and Saudi Arabia's national championship. Reflecting on his Dakar Rally victory, Al-Rajhi said: 'I'm very proud and happy with this title after we won in Dakar with a private team not belonging to a factory for the first time in more than 25 years.' He described the achievement as a 'major turning point in the history of motorsport.' Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in motorsports under its Vision 2030 initiative, hosting events like Formula One, Formula E, Extreme E, and desert rally championships. 'Today, the Kingdom has become an international centre for motorsports, supported by advanced infrastructure and ambitious national cadres,' Al-Rajhi said. Looking ahead, Al-Rajhi sees growing interest in motorsports across the Arab world, including Qatar's hosting of Formula One and MotoGP, alongside Bahrain and the UAE's Formula One Grand Prix events. However, he stressed the need for an 'integrated qualification system' to develop professional drivers in the region. Internationally, Al-Rajhi believes that Saudi Arabia and the Arab region 'will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of motorsports, not only as hosts, but as real competitors for championships through teams and champions who carry the flags of their countries and achieve great things at the highest levels.' — Reuters Saudi Arabia has signalled ambitions to own a Formula One team, following its sponsorship of the sport and hosting its first F1 race in 2021. Energy giant Aramco remains a global partner of Formula One, while other Middle Eastern nations have strengthened ties to the sport through investments in teams such as McLaren, Audi, and others. — Reuters
TimesLIVE
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Dakar Rally champion Al-Rajhi eyes September return after accident
Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rajhi, the reigning Dakar Rally champion, aims to resume competitive racing by September after a serious accident in Jordan left him with two broken vertebrae. Al-Rajhi, 43, became the first Saudi to win the Dakar Rally in January, completing the 12-stage race nearly four minutes ahead of South African rival Henk Lategan. The event, relocated to Saudi Arabia in 2020 after years in South America, originally followed a Europe-to-Africa route but shifted due to security concerns after 2007. "I am gradually recovering from the injury I sustained in Aqaba in April while participating in the Jordan Baja," Al-Rajhi told Reuters on Tuesday, referencing the accident that flipped his car during the rally. His co-driver, Germany's Timo Gottschalk, was also seriously injured. "I am following the treatment and rehabilitation programme strictly under the supervision of a specialised medical team amid high morale and great determination to return." Al-Rajhi, who competes for his own team Yazeed Racing, said he expects to return in September at Rally Portugal. "God willing, I anticipate resuming participation in competitions in the last quarter of the 2025 season," he said, noting his plans to rejoin the FIA World Baja Cup, FIA World Rally-Raid Championship and Saudi Arabia's national championship. Reflecting on his Dakar Rally victory, Al-Rajhi said: "I'm very proud and happy with the title after we won in Dakar with a private team not belonging to a factory for the first time in more than 25 years." He described the achievement as a "major turning point in the history of motorsport". Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in motorsports under its Vision 2030 initiative, hosting events such Formula One, Formula E, Extreme E and desert rally championships. "Today the kingdom has become an international centre for motorsports, supported by advanced infrastructure and ambitious national cadres," Al-Rajhi said. Looking ahead, Al-Rajhi sees growing interest in motorsports across the Arab world, including Qatar's hosting of Formula One and MotoGP, alongside Bahrain and the UAE's Formula One Grand Prix events. However, he stressed the need for an "integrated qualification system" to develop professional drivers in the region. Internationally, Al-Rajhi believes Saudi Arabia and the Arab region "will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of motorsports, not only as hosts, but as real competitors for championships through teams and champions who carry the flags of their countries and achieve great things at the highest levels". Saudi Arabia has signalled ambitions to own a Formula One team after its sponsorship of the sport and hosting its first F1 race in 2021. Energy giant Aramco remains a global partner of Formula One, while other Middle Eastern nations have strengthened ties to the sport through investments in teams such as McLaren, Audi and others.
The Star
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Rallying-Dakar Rally champion Al-Rajhi eyes September return after accident
FILE PHOTO: Rallying - Dakar Rally - Stage 12 - Shubaytah to Shubaytah - Saudi Arabia - January 17, 2025 Overdrive Racing's Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk celebrate with Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, President of Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation after winning in the car category REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo (Reuters) -Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rajhi, the reigning Dakar Rally champion, aims to resume competitive racing by September following a serious accident in Jordan that left him with two broken vertebrae. Al-Rajhi, 43, became the first Saudi to win the Dakar Rally in January, completing the 12-stage race nearly four minutes ahead of South African rival Henk Lategan. The event, relocated to Saudi Arabia in 2020 after years in South America, originally followed a Europe-to-Africa route but shifted due to security concerns after 2007. "I am gradually recovering from the injury I sustained in Aqaba last April while participating in the Jordan Baja," Al-Rajhi told Reuters on Tuesday, referencing the accident that flipped his car during the rally. His co-driver, Germany's Timo Gottschalk, was also seriously injured. "I am following the treatment and rehabilitation program strictly under the supervision of a specialised medical team, amid high morale and great determination to return." Al-Rajhi, who competes for his own team Yazeed Racing, said he expects to return in September at Rally Portugal. "God willing, I anticipate resuming participation in competitions in the last quarter of the 2025 season," he added, noting his plans to rejoin the FIA World Baja Cup, FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, and Saudi Arabia's national championship. Reflecting on his Dakar Rally victory, Al-Rajhi said: "I'm very proud and happy with this title after we won in Dakar with a private team not belonging to a factory for the first time in more than 25 years." He described the achievement as a "major turning point in the history of motorsport." Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in motorsports under its Vision 2030 initiative, hosting events like Formula One, Formula E, Extreme E, and desert rally championships. "Today, the Kingdom has become an international centre for motorsports, supported by advanced infrastructure and ambitious national cadres," Al-Rajhi said. Looking ahead, Al-Rajhi sees growing interest in motorsports across the Arab world, including Qatar's hosting of Formula One and MotoGP, alongside Bahrain and the UAE's Formula One Grand Prix events. However, he stressed the need for an "integrated qualification system" to develop professional drivers in the region. Internationally, Al-Rajhi believes that Saudi Arabia and the Arab region "will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of motorsports, not only as hosts, but as real competitors for championships through teams and champions who carry the flags of their countries and achieve great things at the highest levels." Saudi Arabia has signalled ambitions to own a Formula One team, following its sponsorship of the sport and hosting its first F1 race in 2021. Energy giant Aramco remains a global partner of Formula One, while other Middle Eastern nations have strengthened ties to the sport through investments in teams such as McLaren, Audi, and others. (Reporting by Ashraf Hamed AttaEditing by Toby Davis)
Straits Times
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Rallying-Dakar Rally champion Al-Rajhi eyes September return after accident
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Rallying - Dakar Rally - Stage 12 - Shubaytah to Shubaytah - Saudi Arabia - January 17, 2025 Overdrive Racing's Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk celebrate with Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, President of Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation after winning in the car category REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rajhi, the reigning Dakar Rally champion, aims to resume competitive racing by September following a serious accident in Jordan that left him with two broken vertebrae. Al-Rajhi, 43, became the first Saudi to win the Dakar Rally in January, completing the 12-stage race nearly four minutes ahead of South African rival Henk Lategan. The event, relocated to Saudi Arabia in 2020 after years in South America, originally followed a Europe-to-Africa route but shifted due to security concerns after 2007. "I am gradually recovering from the injury I sustained in Aqaba last April while participating in the Jordan Baja," Al-Rajhi told Reuters on Tuesday, referencing the accident that flipped his car during the rally. His co-driver, Germany's Timo Gottschalk, was also seriously injured. "I am following the treatment and rehabilitation program strictly under the supervision of a specialised medical team, amid high morale and great determination to return." Al-Rajhi, who competes for his own team Yazeed Racing, said he expects to return in September at Rally Portugal. "God willing, I anticipate resuming participation in competitions in the last quarter of the 2025 season," he added, noting his plans to rejoin the FIA World Baja Cup, FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, and Saudi Arabia's national championship. Reflecting on his Dakar Rally victory, Al-Rajhi said: "I'm very proud and happy with this title after we won in Dakar with a private team not belonging to a factory for the first time in more than 25 years." He described the achievement as a "major turning point in the history of motorsport." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP celebrations to be held at 5 heartland sites, including Bishan and Punggol, on Aug 10 Singapore Keep citizens at the centre of public service, Chan Chun Sing tells civil servants Singapore Man arrested for allegedly throwing bottle at SMRT bus, injuring passenger Asia As Trump plays tariffs hard ball, Asean has little choice but to play on Asia PM Anwar called out by his own lawmakers as Malaysia's judicial crisis heats up Singapore SIA flight from Brisbane to Singapore diverted to Perth due to technical issue Sport Speeding likely cause of Diogo Jota car crash: Police Business Great Eastern could resume trading after delisting vote fails to pass; OCBC's exit offer lapses Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in motorsports under its Vision 2030 initiative, hosting events like Formula One, Formula E, Extreme E, and desert rally championships. "Today, the Kingdom has become an international centre for motorsports, supported by advanced infrastructure and ambitious national cadres," Al-Rajhi said. Looking ahead, Al-Rajhi sees growing interest in motorsports across the Arab world, including Qatar's hosting of Formula One and MotoGP, alongside Bahrain and the UAE's Formula One Grand Prix events. However, he stressed the need for an "integrated qualification system" to develop professional drivers in the region. Internationally, Al-Rajhi believes that Saudi Arabia and the Arab region "will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of motorsports, not only as hosts, but as real competitors for championships through teams and champions who carry the flags of their countries and achieve great things at the highest levels." Saudi Arabia has signalled ambitions to own a Formula One team, following its sponsorship of the sport and hosting its first F1 race in 2021. Energy giant Aramco remains a global partner of Formula One, while other Middle Eastern nations have strengthened ties to the sport through investments in teams such as McLaren, Audi, and others. REUTERS
Saudi Gazette
22-06-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Al-Rajhi: Employee engagement rate in public sector reaches 83.4%
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Eng. Ahmed Al-Rajhi said that the Saudi employee engagement indicators for the year 2024 has achieved tangible positive results. "The employee engagement rate for public sector employees reached 83.4 percent, exceeding the set annual target of 76.5 percent. This reflects growing institutional awareness and the authorities' keenness to improve work environments and promote a culture of professional commitment," he said while addressing the annual ceremony of honoring government agencies that achieved the highest levels of employee engagement in 2024. The minister presented the Employee Engagement Award to nine government agencies during the ceremony, which was attended by several government officials and representatives of government agencies. In his speech, Al-Rajhi emphasized that the Employee Engagement Program embodies the interest and support of the wise leadership for the public sector. "This program reflects the ministry's commitment to strengthening the role of human capital as a fundamental pillar in the transition to a more efficient government work environment. The program contributes to consolidating a sense of belonging and initiative, raising the quality of services provided to beneficiaries, and enhancing performance efficiency," he said. Al-Rajhi reviewed the most notable achievements during 2024, such as the Cabinet's approval of the National Program for Succession and Leadership Development, the launch of the Promising Leaders Program, the qualification of more than 120 government leaders through academic programs and leadership forums, the launch of the engineering salary scale regulations, and the launch of several electronic services that contribute to supporting corporate governance in the government sector. Deputy Minister for Human Capital Development Fahad Al-Drees made a presentation on the Employee Engagement Measurement Initiative, which included a comprehensive assessment of levels of satisfaction and professional commitment. He also introduced the "Motivating Work Environment Program" and the "Institutional Engagement Platform," which enables government agencies to monitor moral performance indicators and improve motivation strategies. The ceremony included panel discussions and a presentation of several success stories in the field of employee engagement within government agencies. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has won first place in the government ministries category, while the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing came in second, and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology emerged third. In the institutions, councils, and public bodies category, the National Competitiveness Center bagged the first place, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property came in second, and the General Authority for Endowments bagged the third place. In the educational and training institutions category, Al-Majmaa University has won first place, followed by Najran University, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. It is noteworthy that the Career Engagement Program is one of the strategic initiatives of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. It aims to promote a culture of high performance, create a positive competitive environment among government agencies, and encourage the exchange of best practices in the field of human capital management and development. Saudi employee engagement refers to the level of enthusiasm, dedication, and connection that employees in Saudi Arabia feel towards their work and their organizations. It encompasses how emotionally invested employees are in their jobs, their commitment to the company's goals, and their willingness to go the extra mile. High employee engagement is linked to increased productivity, improved performance, and a more positive work environment.
