On the morning of February 18, the press conference for the 2025 China Taklimakan Rally was held in Urumqi, marking the official launch of preparations for the 2025 rally. Central and local media, including the People's Daily Xinjiang Bureau, People's Daily Online, Xinhua News Agency Xinjiang Bureau, China Media Group Xinjiang Station, Xinjiang Daily, and Xinjiang Television, attended the conference. More than 200 guests, including officials, journalists, sponsors, partners, and team representatives, gathered to celebrate this significant moment for the Taklimakan Rally.
At the press conference, the promotional video for the 2025 China Taklimakan Rally was unveiled, reigniting the passion of the event with the theme "For the Love, Towards the Future."
This year's rally will take place from May 20 to June 1, lasting 13 days, covering a total distance of approximately 4,500 kilometers, including 10 special stages spanning about 2,350 kilometers.
The 2025 China Taklimakan International Rally is approved by the General Administration of Sport of China and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Government. It is organized by the China Automobile and Motorcycle Sports Federation (CAMF), the Xinjiang Sports Bureau, the Xinjiang Department of Culture and Tourism, and Baosteel Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron & Steel Co., Ltd.; co-organized by the administrative offices of Aksu, Kashgar, Hotan, and Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture; and hosted by the Xinjiang Taklimakan Auto and Motorcycle Sports Club (LLC) and CAMF Event Operations Co., Ltd.
Since its inception in 2005, the China Taklimakan International Rally has grown into a premier motorsport event, with race routes spanning 14 prefectures and 56 counties/cities in Xinjiang and accumulating a total mileage of over 70,000 kilometers. The rally has thrived thanks to the support of national authorities, the Xinjiang regional government, local administrations, and various sectors of society. Now recognized as a shining brand in motorsports, the Taklimakan Rally has evolved beyond China, joining the FIA international calendar last year and stepping onto the global stage.
After an extraordinary 20-year journey, the 2025 Taklimakan Rally is set to shine with exciting highlights: continuing to promote the internationalization of the event by inviting FIA officials to serve as the chief stewards, ensuring stricter and more standardized execution of regulations; introducing the New Energy category alongside the existing three competition categories; launching the second edition of the Taklimakan Silk Road Assembly Rally in July; and integrating sports with culture and tourism to create the "Taklimakan Rally Tourism Season," featuring various special offers and numerous supporting activities across different regions, ready to welcome visitors from around the world.
He Jiandong, Executive Vice Chairman of the China Automobile and Motorcycle Sports Federation; Gao Zhaoyi, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Sports Bureau; Zhang Yongdong, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Department of Culture and Tourism; Li Ziliang, President and Party Secretary of Xinhua News Agency Xinjiang Branch; Sheng Xiuping, Member of the Aksu Prefectural Committee and Minister of Publicity; Wang Chen, Deputy Commissioner of the Kashgar Prefectural Administration and Deputy Commander of the Shanghai Aid Xinjiang Front Command; Mahemuti Mamuti, Deputy Commissioner of the Hotan Prefectural Administration; Liang Feng, Party Committee Member and Deputy General Manager of Baosteel Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron & Steel Co., Ltd.; and Luo Yingchun, Party Committee Member, Deputy General Manager, and Deputy Director of Hunan Broadcasting System (Hunan TV), along with other leaders and guests, attended the press conference.
During his speech, Liang Feng, Party Committee Member and Deputy General Manager of Baosteel Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., stated: “The Taklimakan Rally is a motorsport brand that Bayi Steel has nurtured for many years, growing from a provincial-level event into an internationally renowned off-road rally with increasing influence and global attention. Xinjiang's unique geographical advantages position it as a key hub of the Silk Road. With the deepening of the Belt and Road Initiative, Baosteel Bayi Steel's overseas business continues to expand, creating even greater opportunities for the Taklimakan Rally. We are fully confident and capable of successfully hosting the 2025 rally, gradually elevating it into a world-class off-road racing brand.”
He Jiandong, Executive Vice Chairman of the China Automobile and Motorcycle Sports Federation, stated in his speech: “The Taklimakan Rally is the most distinctive and attractive long-distance off-road race in China, testing the perseverance of the drivers and the teamwork of the racing teams. Over the years, it has developed a well-structured system covering route design, event organization, cultural and tourism integration, commercial operations, and promotional activities. Since joining the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) calendar in recent years, the rally’s organizational capabilities have continued to improve, reaching international standards in track design, event regulations, and rescue operations. We believe that the 2025 Taklimakan Rally will attract even more international teams, drivers, and global attention.”
Gao Zhaoyi, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Sports Bureau, emphasized in his speech: “The Taklimakan Rally has been recognized for consecutive years as one of China’s Top 10 Sports Tourism Events. It is the only long-distance international off-road rally in China listed in the FIA calendar. The annual rally has enhanced Xinjiang’s image and reputation, brought together social forces, and played a positive role in promoting international exchanges. The goals for the rally’s development are marketization, professionalization, branding, and internationalization. We should use the event as a platform to write a new chapter in Xinjiang’s ‘sports + tourism’ and ‘sports + economy’ integration.”
Zhang Yongdong, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Department of Culture and Tourism, announced a special package for the 2025 Taklimakan Rally. He introduced that the department would further enrich the “Travel with the Race” brand initiative, creating a "Taklimakan Tourism Season" with extended event cycles, extensive supporting activities, comprehensive preferential policies, and wide-reaching promotional channels, aiming to deepen the integration of sports events and the tourism industry.
Subsequently, An Pengxin, Deputy General Manager of Xinjiang Taklimakan Auto and Motorcycle Sports Club (LLC), released information about the 2025 Taklimakan Rally.
The 2025 Taklimakan Rally will intensify efforts to invite more international teams, providing opportunities for more international drivers to compete in the event and jointly create a new chapter in the history of the rally.
This year's Taklimakan Rally will kick off in Aksu City, Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, and conclude in Makit County, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang. The rally route includes four main bivouacs: Aksu Film Town, Lop County, Yecheng County, and the N39° Scenic Area in Makit County, with a total of 10 special stages. The rally will pass through Aksu Prefecture, Kashgar Prefecture, Hotan Prefecture, and various divisions of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, including the 1st, 3rd, and 14th divisions. This year’s rally track will feature a diverse mix of terrains, including deserts, gravel roads, gobi landscapes, and unique yardang landform. The composition of the terrain is as follows: 65% desert, 15% gobi roads, and 20% gravel tracks—making it an extreme test of both driver skill and vehicle performance.
The annual Taklimakan Rally also unfolds as a grand "sports + cultural tourism" spectacle.
The Xinjiang Department of Culture and Tourism will launch the "Travel with the Taklimakan Rally" 2025 Taklimakan Tourism Season, offering exclusive “Rally Privilege Packages” and “Tourism Season Privilege Packages” that include discounts on scenic spot tickets, hotel accommodations, and local specialty dining. These initiatives ensure that every visitor can enjoy the benefits of the Taklimakan Tourism Season, bringing to life the beauty of this grand adventure.
Official leaders from Aksu City, Makit County, and Lop County introduced various Taklimakan Rally-related events in their respective regions, further igniting enthusiasm for the "Travel with the Taklimakan Rally" initiative during the press conference.
Centered around the Taklimakan Rally and the Taklimakan Silk Road Expedition, Xinjiang's different prefectures have launched a series of rich cultural and tourism activities. These include off-road driving training, self-driving tours, camping adventures, intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, folk experiences, and gourmet festivals, offering visitors a comprehensive and immersive travel experience.
The final signing ceremony showcased the renewed energy of the 2025 Taklimakan Rally. Du Jing, Director and General Manager of Xinjiang Taklimakan Motor Sports Club Co., Ltd., signed agreements with representatives from Aksu, Kashgar, and Hotan, solidifying their cooperation in hosting the event.
Additionally, cooperation agreements were signed with Xinjiang Cultural and Tourism Investment Group and Great Wall Motors Co., Ltd.. Great Wall Motors will provide comprehensive vehicle support for the 2025 rally and has announced the formation of a Great Wall Motors Racing Team to participate in the competition. The company also expressed its commitment to long-term collaboration with the event.
The Taklimakan Rally has long been a premier stage for China's off-road racing scene, witnessing the growth of China's automotive industry and providing a platform for Chinese drivers to step onto the global racing stage. Many outstanding drivers have started their careers in Taklimakan and gone on to compete internationally.
Late May in Xinjiang marks the most beautiful season of the year. The 2025 Taklimakan Rally is now ready to embrace the world, bringing to life a real-world version of "Fast and Furious" against the backdrop of the Taklimakan Desert.
Source: Taklimakan Rally
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