JORDAN MOTORSPORT ANNOUNCES JORDAN BAJA TO RUN IN MID-APRIL FROM ITS TRADITIONAL AQABA BASE

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.