“Not just a race, it’s survival and discipline”
Crew facts
- Badr Alhamdan is a man of challenges. But the main one seems to be finding a good balance between his every day job as a compliance director for the Saudi Food and Drug authority, his family life with five children and his passion for off-road rallying that is taking him to this year’s Dakar.
- Born in Ryadh, he started riding bikes from a young age on a Honda 50cc. That eventually took him to rally-raids and Bajas on home soil and in neighbouring countries.
- After close to five years of competitions including the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the 42-year-old got the green light to start the Dakar. He sadly failed in his quest to reach the finish.
- For his second appearance and attempt at finishing, Al Hamdan will be part of the very international Desert Storm team alongside Lebanon’s Ehab Al Hakeem and Indian rider Jatin Jain.
Ambition
B.A.H.: “Dakar 2025 was a turning point for me. It was my first full participation as a rider, and every stage taught me something new about endurance, patience, and navigation. Finishing such a long and demanding rally gave me a clear understanding of what Dakar truly means — it’s not just a race, it’s survival and discipline.
For 2026, I’m focusing on refining every detail: my physical conditioning, roadbook navigation, and mechanical understanding of the bike. The goal is not only to finish again but to finish stronger, more consistent, and closer to the top riders.
The Desert Storm Racing Team is growing. We are building a solid Saudi team with full technical support.”
