Italian Baja: Strong performance goes unrewarded
06/28/2026
- Mixed fortunes for Paul Schmidt in Italy
- Baud family finishes 11th in the Ultimate classification
At the Italian Baja, the fourth round of the FIA World Baja Cup, the X-raid crews delivered a strong performance that unfortunately was not rewarded with the results they deserved. Competing in extremely hot conditions, Lionel and Lucie Baud once again battled for the top positions in the MINI JCW Rally 3.0d. However, the intense heat caused a technical issue that ultimately held them back. Paul Schmidt and Jeannette Kvick showed great potential on their rally debut in the X-raid Fenic, but a rock hidden in a riverbed prevented them from securing a strong result.
Competitors at the Italian Baja had just three special stages in which to fight for top positions. Father and daughter Lionel and Lucie Baud held a promising eighth place after the opening stage on Saturday morning. However, an electrical problem ended their hopes of a podium finish. The true potential of both crew and the MINI JCW Rally 3.0d became evident on Sunday morning, when they claimed an impressive second-fastest time on the final stage, earning valuable championship points in the process. Nevertheless, they had to settle for 33rd overall and 11th place in the Ultimate category.
Schmidt and Kvick suffered particularly cruel luck in the X-raid Fenic. After the opening stage, the pair were running in an excellent ninth position. Just a few hours later, they unfortunately struck a rock hidden in a riverbed. The impact destroyed the tyre and wheel rim and subsequently caused further damage to the suspension and other components of the car. The damage was too severe to continue, forcing Schmidt and Kvick to retire from the event.
In just under four weeks, X-raid will head to the next Baja. The Baja Aragón in Spain is part of both the FIA World Baja Cup and the FIA European Baja Cup. X-raid will announce its line-up in due course.
Statements
Lionel Baud (MINI JCW Rally 3.0d): “The Italian Baja was a very difficult event for us – and for many others. First of all, we had to cope with extremely high temperatures. Today, temperatures reached up to 42 degrees Celsius, which meant it was even hotter inside the car despite the air conditioning. So our first challenge was simply to deal with the heat. Yesterday we completed the opening stage successfully, but on the second stage we suffered an alternator issue. The second day of the rally was much better for us. We managed to finish second on the final stage and we’re very happy with that. The car performed brilliantly. We reached the finish and collected important points for the World Cup. This championship is turning into a season full of surprises. At every event you see retirements, and almost every team has to deal with some kind of problem. That’s why I think the title fight will only be decided in November.”
Paul Schmidt (X-raid Fenic): “Unfortunately, our first Baja Italia with X-raid and the Fenic came to an early end. On the second stage of the day, a slow puncture that I hadn’t noticed in the riverbed caused us to hit a rock, tearing off the suspension. Already on Stage 1 we had been struggling with a faulty windscreen wiper and had to stop several times to keep the windscreen clear. Despite that, it was an incredibly valuable learning experience – the first Baja for both Jeannette and me. Navigating with a roadbook is a completely different world compared to the pace notes we’re both used to. We still need to refine our communication, rhythm and timing inside the car. Our pace was good in places, but we need to work on maintaining that consistency over the full distance and reducing mistakes. Those are exactly the areas we’ll focus on in our preparation for Baja Aragón. The Fenic was great fun to drive – agile, responsive, and it simply floated across the water crossings.”
Overall standings
1. F. Barreto / P. Fiuza – Toyota – 5h 21m 39s
2. P. Spierings / M. Salomons – Taurus – 5h 24m 55s
3. B. Vanagas / A. Paliukenas – Toyota – 5h 25m 33s
4. S. Haran / M. Hales – Polaris – 5h 27m 06s
5. M. van den Brink / B. van Heun – Can-Am – 5h 29m 58s
…
33. L. Baud / L. Baud – MINI JCW Rally 3.0d – 8h 06m 21s
