During a visit in Szczecin, the battle for the FIA World Cup in Cross Country Rallies 2017 will enter its final stage. In six events which took place up to date, Nasser Al-Attiyah was triumphant in as many as four of them, gathering 180 points and cementing his lead before four final rounds of the season.

The Qatari was 100% effective winning all rallies he attended this year. Two events were also won by drivers from Poland: Aron Domżała was victorious in Russia and Jakub Przygoński in Italy.

Until the end of the 2017 rivalry we have four rounds left, including Hungarian Baja, three weeks before visit in Szczecin’s ORLEN Baja Poland. Polish event will be held in the first weekend of September, while the special stages traditionally have been marked out in the military area in Drawsko Pomorskie, as well as in Dobra county.

The inaugural round of the 2017 season, Baja Russia Northern Forest, was held at the end of February and it turned out to be very lucky for the Polish driver, Aron Domżała. The Toyota Hilux competitor managed to avoid major problems in tough, winter conditions, finishing the Russian round of the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup on the 1^st spot.

Merely two weeks later the second round of the season, Dubaj Baja, kicked off. This time it was Nasser Al-Attiyah, the current leader of the classification, who climbed into the highest step of the podium. It was also the first start during this season for the Qatar driver. It was in Dubai, when Al-Attiyah began his series of wins in next three events he entered.

At the beginning of April the fastest drivers in FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup showed up in United Arab Emirates for a 3^rd round of the 2017 season – the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Sheik Khalid Al-Qassimi in front of his home crowd managed to benefit on the absence of Al-Attiyah and won in a round where the point loot was doubled. Well-known from the FIA World Rally Championship stages Martin Prokop was second. It was the first start this season for the driver from the Czech Republic.

During the very same month we witnessed also the 4^th round of this year’s rivalry – Sealine Cross Country Rally Qatar, where Nasser Al-Attiyah took his second victory of the year, extending his point account up to 60. For the next win Al-Attiyah had to wait until the Rally Kazakhstan held in May, where he won the battle with Jakub Przygoński and Leeroy Poulter.

Scheduled at 15^th – 18^th June the Italian Baja was lucky for the ORLEN Team representative – Jakub Przygoński. The driver of Mini ALL4 Racing from the X-raid team grabbed the first win in his career, defending his position from Miroslav Zapletal and Mohammed Abu Issa. Two other drivers from Poland, Aron Domżała and Martin Kaczmarski, were extremely unlucky during the event. Both of them had a chance for a podium finish, but the first one suffered an engine failure, while the other had a flat tyre three times, having at his disposal only two spare ones.

During the penultimate weekend of July it was turn for the 7^th round of the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup – Baja Espana Aragon. In the rivalry, previously won by the likes of Jacky Ickx, Ari Vatanen or Stephane Peterhansel, it was once again Nasser Al-Attiyah who turned out to be unbeatable. Polish drivers once again proved to be in a good condition – Kuba Przygoński in a new car and with a new co-driver finished 6^th, while Aron Domżała and Maciej Marton were 12.

FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup overall standings after Baja Aragon

1. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) 180
2. Jakub Przygoński (POL) 122
3. Khalid Al-Qassimi (ZEA) 105
4. Yasir Seaidan (SAU) 93
5. Mohammed Abu Issa (QAT) 84
6. Aron Domżała (POL) 76
7. Martin Prokop (CZE) 58
8. Miroslav Zapletal (CZE) 39
9. Leeroy Poulter (ZAF) 42
10. Yahya Al Helei (ZEA) 30      

2017 calendar:

24/02 – 26/02 Baja Russia – Northern Forest
09/03 – 11/03 Dubaj Baja
01/04 – 07/04 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge
16/04 – 21/04 Sealine Cross Country Rally
20/05 – 27/05 Rally Kazahkstan
15/06 – 18/06 Italian Baja
21/07 – 23/07 Baja Espana Aragon
10/08 – 13/08 Hungarian Baja
31/08 – 03/09 ORLEN Baja Poland
04/10 – 10/10 Rallye du Maroc
26/10 – 28/10 Baja Portalegre 500