The T1 category at the 2026 Al-Arar International Baja Rally produced one of the most dramatic battles of the event, with the championship remaining undecided until the final stage in an intense three-way fight between Seif Al-Tamtam, Nasser Dardira, and Shukri Agoof. Captain Shukri Agoof established himself as the early leader, topping the overall standings throughout the first and second stages and appearing to be the favourite for victory. But everything changed in the third stage, where a relatively weaker performance — particularly in navigation — cost him valuable time and ultimately the lead at the decisive moment. The biggest beneficiary was Seif Al-Tamtam, who maintained the pressure all the way to the final kilometres and successfully snatched the title, finishing just 15 seconds ahead of Nasser Dardira in one of the closest finishes of the Al-Arar Rally. At no point was the three-way battle truly settled. The overall time gaps remained extremely tight, keeping Al-Tamtam, Dardira, and Agoof firmly in contention for victory until the final stage. One of the standout performances on the final day came from Captain Abdulhamid Al-Zuaileik of Al-Jihad Team, who won the third stage and went on to finish the rally in a strong fourth place overall, demonstrating impressive pace at the end of the competition. Meanwhile, Omar Sdoudah and his navigator Hadia Mansour produced one of the rally’s most remarkable stories. After setting the fastest time in the second stage, they clearly demonstrated the pace needed to challenge the frontrunners. However, heavy penalties during the first and third stages — totaling more than two hours — pushed them down to eighth place in the final classification despite their obvious potential. Further down the standings, the rally became a battle simply to reach the finish line for several crews, as major time penalties, delays, and mechanical problems took their toll. Mohammed Al-Bomba was one of the clearest examples, finishing more than a full day behind the overall leader and accumulating approximately 33 hours in penalties — a striking illustration of the difficulty of the Al-Arar course, which stretched across approximately 450 kilometres. The Verdict Two days at the top were not enough to secure the title. Shukri Agoof led the way, Nasser Dardira fought until the final seconds, but Seif Al-Tamtam had the final word, claiming one of the most dramatic T1 victories with a margin of just 15 seconds. And so, the battle for T1 at the 2026 Al-Arar International Baja Rally came to an end with Seif Al-Tamtam and Sej Al-Tamtam crowned champions. It was a rally that proved once again that victory is not decided by who takes the lead first — but by who remains in the fight until the last kilometre and the very last second.