AQABA (JORDAN): British rider Alex McInnes made the perfect start to his challenge for 2026 FIM Bajas World Cup honours with a second successive victory at the Saudi Baja at the end of last month.
That has put the young KTM rider in prime position to launch a serious assault on Mohammed Al-Balooshi’s recent dominance of the championship. McInnes also leads the Junior category after round one but knows that the challenging route for this weekend’s three-day Jordan Baja laid on by Jordan Motorsport will be a totally different proposition.
MX Ride Dubai’s Al-Balooshi has often referred to the stunning moonscapes and red sands of Wadi Rum as his second home and, although the Emirati is still recovering from an elbow injury that forced him out of the Dakar Rally prematurely, he will not be wanting to cede his recent dominance at the Jordan Baja to his young rival.
The Emirati has won the event on five consecutive occasions since 2019 (2020 and 2023 were cancelled). He finished a distant second overall on round one in January and also leads the FIM Veteran Trophy.
This year’s FIM field has strength in depth and several riders are more than capable of challenging both McInnes and Al-Balooshi. The latter’s brother Sultan (Kove), Lebanon’s Rafic Eid (KTM), Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Shatti (Kawasaki) and Sultan Al-Shanqiti (KTM) are also racing under the MX Ride Dubai banner.
Local hopes for a podium finish rest on the shoulders of Abdullah Abu Aisheh on his Yamaha WR 450F. He was classified in eighth place in Ha’il two weeks ago. Jordanian support for his challenge comes from Zaid Jaber, Tla’at Al-Shishane and Eyad Salmirza.
Neighbouring Saudi Arabia will be represented by Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera (KTM), who finished fourth overall on the opening round. Mohammed Al-Kubaisi is the sole Qatari entrant on a KTM EXC-F.
Three Polish riders will be aiming for glory in Wadi Rum. Marcin Talaga guided his Gas Gas to fifth overall at the Saudi Baja and will be joined by veteran Tomasz Niedzwiedzki (Gas Gas) and leading female rider Joanna Modrzewska. She claimed maximum Women’s Trophy points on a Duust Rally Team Husqvarna in Saudi Arabia but is registered on the entry list in Jordan with a new Triumph TF 450 E.
Philip Horlemann and Tony Schattat represent Germany on a pair of KTMs and Brett Hunt and Thomas Childs fly the flag for the United Kingdom. They finished 11th and 17th in Saudi Arabia. Croatian Darko Marasovic and American rider Patrick Emmert round off the two-wheel field. The latter failed to finish in Saudi Arabia on his KTM 500 EXC-F.
Hani Al-Noumesi is the defending FIM quad champion and leads the category on his Yamaha YFM 700R after his recent Ha’il success. Saudi rivals Abdulaziz Al-Atawi, Ahmad Al-Jaber and Haitham Al-Tuwaijri finished second, third and fourth on round one and will be jostling for the three podium places this weekend on their Yamahas.
Administration checks and technical scrutineering will take place at rally headquarters and within the Ayla service park on Wednesday (February 11th).
This year’s event is based at the Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla Resort. The venue will host all pre-
event formalities, the official start and ceremonial finish.
The 2026 Jordan baja sponsored by Zain Jordan ,Markazia Toyota Gazoo racing, KUMHO tire,Ayla, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA),Hala and Bliss FM.
2026 Jordan Baja – FIM entry list:
Bikes
1. Alex McInnes (GBR)- KTM 450 SXF
2. Mohammed Al-Balooshi (UAE)- KTM 450
3. Sultan Al-Balooshi (UAE - Kove 450 EX Rally
4. Abdulhalim Al-Mogheera - (KSA) KTM 450
5. Marcin Talaga (POL) - Gas Gas RX 450
6. Abdullah Al-Shatti (KUW)- Kawasaki KX 450
7. Abdullah Abu Aisheh (JOR) - Yamaha WR 450F
8. Rafic Eid (LEB) - KTM 450 Rally Replica
9. Brett Hunt GBR) - Husky FE 450
10. Philip Horlemann (GER) - KTM 450 Rally Replica
11. Tomasz Niedzwiedzki (POL) - Gas Gas RX 450 Rally Replica
12. Mohammed Al-Kubaisi (QAT)- KTM 350 EXC-F
13. Thomas Childs (GBR) - KTM 450 Rally
14. Joanna Modrzewska (POL) - Triumph TF 450 E
15. Tony Schattat (GER) - KTM 450 Rally Replica
16. Sultan Al-Shanqiti (UAE) - KTM 450 Rally Replica
17. Darko Marasovic (CRO)- KTM 450 Rally Replica
18. Zaid Jaber (JOR) - Gas Gas RX 450 Rally Replica
19. Tla’at Al-Shishane (JOR)- Yamaha WR 450F
20. Eyad Salmirza (JOR) - Yamaha YZ 450F
21. Patrick Emmert (USA)- KTM 500 EXC-F
Quads
100. Hani Al-Noumesi (KSA - Yamaha YFM 700R
101. Abdulaziz Al-Atawi (KSA) - Yamaha Raptor 700 R
102. Ahmad Al-Jaber (KSA) - Yamaha Raptor 700 R
103. Haitham Al-Tuwaijri (KSA) - Yamaha Raptor 700 R