AMMAN - Motorsport has announced details of the Jordan Baja, the
second round of this year’s FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups and round three
of the FIM Bajas World Cup. The event has switched from a November date and
will be based out of the Red Sea city of Aqaba on April 10th-12th.
A
round of the premier FIA off-road series since 2019 and the FIM championship
since 2021, the event runs for three days and utilises terrain with the
backdrop of some of the most spectacular desert vistas on the planet.After
a short Prologue stage on April 10th to determine the starting
order for the opening selective section, competitors will attend the traditional
ceremonial start procedure at the Arab Revolt Plaza on the outskirts of
southern Aqaba from 17.15hrs.
Competitive
action then switches to the awe-inspiring Wadi Rum region in southern Jordan
for a first stage of 334.13km on April 11th. This will be split into
two timed sections of 200.60km and 133.53km.
The
Hashemite Kingdom’s premier off-road event will then use a shorter stage of
185.30km on April 12th before the return to Aqaba for the
ceremonial finish, prize giving and post-event press conference at the Arab
Revolt Plaza from 17.30hrs.
In
a total route of 749.30km, 522.43km will be timed against the clock in a
challenging route laid on by Jordan Motorsport under Zaid Balqez, the Chairman
of the Organising Committee, Clerk of the Course Khaled Zakaria and their
experienced organising team. George Khoury will act as Clerk of the Course for
the FIM event.
“We
are pleased to be holding the Baja earlier in the season, where the weather
will be slightly more consistent and competitors are just starting out on their
programme of events for 2025,” said Zaid Balqez.
“Southern
Jordan offers stunning terrain and a sensational back drop for our regional and
international competitors. Many of the visual images from the event have
already become iconic in cross-country motorsport and we are sure that this
year’s Baja will build upon the successes of the last few years.”
The
2025 Jordan Baja will be based at the Westin Saraya Aqaba Resort & Spa for
the first time. Entries are now open with the closing date set for Wednesday,
March 26th.
Emirati
driver Khalid Al-Jafla teamed up with Andrei Rudnitski to claim a maiden
victory in Jordan last November and he also secured maximum points in the
competitive Challenger category with his Taurus T3 Max. That win in the FIA
category followed previous successes for Poland’s Jakub Przygonski (Mini) and
the Saudi Arabian duo of Yasir Seaidan (Mini) and Saleh Al-Saif (Can-Am) in
2019, 2021 and 2022.
The UAE’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi has
been the man to beat on two wheels since 2019 and earned a fourth win last
November on his KTM 450 Rally on his way to the FIM Bajas World Cup title.
Saudi riders have dominated the quad
category since its inception in 2021 with Faisal Al-Suwayh, Abdulmajeed
Al-Khulaifi and Abdulaziz Al-Shayban claiming a win apiece on their Yamahas.