The first round of the 2024 Saudi Toyota Drag Racing Championship concluded on Friday evening. The event took place at the Dirab Circuit in Riyadh, organized and supervised by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, and sponsored by the official partner Abdul Latif Jameel Motorsports and the strategic partner, the Saudi Investment Bank, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports.
The first round of the drag racing competition, which lasted for three days, featured a highly competitive atmosphere and remarkable performance levels. There was wide participation from Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries, with more than 58 participants in the car and motorcycle categories.
The car competition results saw Muslim Al-Qallaf crowned first place in the "Index 4.50" category, while Ibrahim Al-Shunaifi took first in the "Index 8.50" category. Faisal Al-Ahmad claimed first place in the "Index 9.00" category, and Ali Al-Ajaji won first place in the "Index 10.00" category.
In the "Outlaw V8" category, Majid Al-Harbi secured the top spot, while Dawood Salman Al-Khalifa took first place in the "Outlaw V6" category. The "Outlaw V4" category saw Abdul Fattah Atwan dominate.
In the motorcycle competition, Khalid Ali Al-Dosari impressively secured first place in the "Outlaw" category, the "Pro Street" category, and the "Street Fight 9.5" category. The final motorcycle category, "Index 8.5," was won by Ahmad Al-Mahous.
At the end of the competition, Mr. Khalid Al-Suwaidan, CEO of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, awarded the top three winners in each category in a festive ceremony.
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The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is the premier sanctioning body for drag racing, overseeing hundreds of events annually across the United States. With its high-speed excitement, precision-tuned machines, and dedicated drivers, NHRA drag racing has grown into a major motorsport, captivating fans of speed and power. The competition is divided into various categories, each with distinct rules, vehicle types, and levels of performance. These categories range from grassroots classes that allow amateur racers to compete, all the way up to the elite professional ranks. Here’s a closer look at the different categories of NHRA drag racing.
The Mercedes-AMG ONE (energy consumption combined weighted: 17.7 kWh/100 km plus 9.9 l/100 km | fuel consumption combined discharged battery: 14.6 l/100 km | CO₂ emissions combined weighted: 224 g/km | CO₂ class combined weighted: G | CO₂ class discharged battery: G) has been the fastest production car on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife since October 2022 and has been unrivalled ever since. The only rival is the ONE itself. Now Mercedes AMG brand ambassador and DTM driver Maro Engel has once again significantly improved the lap time he set. With an officially measured and notarised time of 6:29.090 minutes for the 20.832-kilometre track, the hypercar with Formula 1™ technology beat its own record for production vehicles by over five seconds. This makes the Mercedes AMG ONE the first road car to beat the magic mark of 6:30 minutes. It is also the only series hybrid hypercar to date to have taken on the world's most demanding racetrack and is the undisputed leader in the super-sports-car class.
“We’ve held the record for road vehicles for almost two years now. But at AMG, we always want to push the boundaries of what is possible to the maximum or even push them a little further. That’s why we have once again demonstrated what is possible with the unique AMG ONE. The entire team has been rewarded for its efforts and commitment. I’m proud of this determined team effort and of this fantastic record time. Once again, we’ve impressively demonstrated the spirit and expertise of AMG.”
Michael Schiebe, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes AMG GmbH and
Head of the Mercedes Benz G Class & Mercedes Maybach divisions
“Two years ago, the conditions were not ideal, and some sections of the track were still a little damp. We knew we could do more, and we wanted to show that. Today we were able to demonstrate the maximum potential of the AMG ONE. Many thanks to the whole team from Affalterbach for the trust they’ve placed in me. It was a great pleasure and honour to be able to drive this record lap with such a unique car.”
Maro Engel, Mercedes AMG brand ambassador
In order to achieve the lofty goals they had set for themselves, meticulous preparation was necessary. In addition, the track conditions had to be ideal in order to beat the 6:30 minute target. On September 23, 2024, at 6:56 p.m., on his third timed lap, Maro Engel achieved the new record. With temperatures of 15 degrees Celsius (air) and 20 degrees Celsius (asphalt), the legendary Nordschleife was dry throughout and offered perfect grip.
Like Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on their Formula 1™ race weekends, Maro Engel also had to make the best possible use of the hybrid drive's electrical energy. This is particularly challenging, especially with a track length of more than 20 kilometres. Therefore, it is immensely important to use the right sections of the track to recuperate during braking phases and thus store energy in the batteries again.
To do this, Maro Engel utilised the AMG ONE's four-stage Energy Flow Control (EFC) system and in some cases deliberately took his foot off the accelerator a little earlier than he normally would. In technical jargon, this is known as “lift and coast”. Preliminary tests in the driving simulator in Affalterbach and on the Nordschleife itself provided the necessary insights, which the team and driver were able to optimally implement for the record lap. In accordance with the specifications of Nürburgring 1927 GmbH & Co KG, the vehicle was tested and documented by TÜV Rheinland to ensure that it was in standard condition. A notary confirmed that the record drive had been carried out correctly.
Amidst a competitive and enthusiastic atmosphere, the first round of the 2024 Saudi Toyota Karting Championship concluded at the Dirab Karting Circuit in Riyadh. The one-day event saw the participation of 8 drivers and was organized and overseen by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation. It was sponsored by the official partner Jameel Motorsports and the strategic partner the Saudi Investment Bank, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports.
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