Nearly the entire World Cup top ten on display in Pordenone
The CI2C sees reigning champion Mengozzi return hungry for points
June 19, 2026_ In exactly seven days, the 33rd Italian Baja kicks off, and the Fuoristrada Club 4x4 Pordenone is experiencing one of the most magical moments in its passionate history. Ninety-one "definitive" entries are a sensational record, the result of hard work and dedication. Let's also add a touch of good luck, as well as the flood of contacts from around the world by Mauro Tavella, inspired as never before in his multiple roles as CEO of the Italian Baja, FIA Commission member, and vice president of the ACI Sport Cross Country Commission led by Gianluca Marotta.
Among the multitude of crews and race officials from four continents and 28 nations ready to descend on Pordenone for the event, nine of the ten drivers currently in the Baja World Cup standings after the first three rounds—Saudi Baja (January), Jordan Baja (February), and Baja Greece (early June)—are present. The leadership of Dania Akeel, a Saudi lioness who has already been a protagonist in Friuli in the 2021-2023 three-year period behind the wheel of a side-by-side, stands out. This time, she's announced to start in a Toyota Hilux Overdrive Evo T1 Plus alongside Frenchman Sébastien Delaunay and can dream of a major coup. First rivals, on paper, are Hamed Al-Wahaibi on Taurus T3 Max Evo, a driver from Oman who occupies the second place in the provisional world championship standings, and the Norwegian Hedda Hosa on Can Am Maverick R, now in fourth place after the podium in Greece, who grew up in rallycross and is accredited as a development driver for Extreme H, contributing to giving the female racing dimension an increasingly high-performance vision.
The Italian Baja with the maximum coefficient for the Italian Cross Country Championship (3) obviously calls upon the entire company of the 2026 Italian tour, excluding those few who still have a broken down vehicle after Artugna Race and Sardegna Rally Raid. It is to be expected that Manuele Mengozzi, the reigning champion with practically no points (the 1st place in the standings depends only on having started the Italian Spring Baja), will have plenty of anger in his body to vent on the dirt roads and riverbeds of Meduna, Cosa and Tagliamento, rediscovering the potential of his Toyota Hilix Overdrive T1, regenerated by robust work in the workshop. Of course, the Can Am Maverick trio currently occupying the overall lead of the CI2C will not be able to run in defense, with Alessandro Trivini Bellini (144 points) having a slim margin over the equally ambitious Martin Alejandro Cisella (128) and Andrea Castagnera (123). Then it must be considered that the characteristics of the Italian Baja, with a fast track and without large restart corners, can give classic off-roaders a chance. The other "prototypers" are hoping for it with all their hearts (the thought of it makes their pulse race), from Alfio Bordonaro and Lorenzo Codecà with their respective Suzuki Grand Vitara T1s, to Andrea Schiumarini who is back with his mammoth Century. Meanwhile, former champion Sergio Galletti (2021) is experimenting with a Polaris RZR Pro R to see what it does and perhaps find himself fighting on the high side.
Everyone at the Pordenone Fair from Wednesday, June 24th, a "welcome day" with the engines off.
Italian Baja press office
