Saudi driver wins 3,500km marathon race across Russia

Yazeed Al-Rajhi clinches victory in the exhausting Silk Way Rally, alongside co-driver Timo Gottschalk

Saudi Arabia driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi clinched victory in the exhausting Silk Way Rally on Friday after a 3,500km marathon trek across Russia.

Al-Rajhi, partnered by Germany's Timo Gottschalk in a Mini Cooper, finished 68 minutes ahead of Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel in a Toyota Hilux.

French driver Mathieu Serradori and teammate Fabian Lurquin were third while the rest of the top 10 was rounded out by Russian teams, including all-female Mariia Oparina and Taisiia Shtaneva who were fifth.