Thirty-three FIA crews, 25 FIM riders, a dozen Jordan National Baja entrants and around 50 teams competing in the Wadi Al-Qamar Navigational Rally are expected to take part in this weekend’s Jordan Baja.
Technical checks and administration formalities were carried out in Aqaba on Wednesday, in advance of a hectic weekend’s action across the stunning moonscapes and Martian-type terrain of nearby Wadi Rum. Competitors in the FIA and FIM events will tackle two stages of 225.71km and 195.38km on Friday and Saturday in a total route of 779.00km through southern Jordan.
Six FIA crews have been entered in each of the Ultimate, Challenger and Stock categories, with 15 battling for points in either the FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups in the SSV section. Twenty-one motorcycle riders and four quad entrants make up the FIM field.
MX Ride Dubai’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi is chasing an unprecedented sixth successive victory on two wheels as he continues the defence of his FIM Bajas World Cup title. The Emirati has recovered from the elbow injury he sustained at the Dakar Rally but still requires hand surgery to return to full fitness.
He is upbeat about his chances of winning the event for a sixth time. He said: “I am happy to be participating for the sixth time. It’s a place I love racing. What happened in Dakar is out of our hands and it’s in the past. Now we are here to focus on the new Baja World Cup season.
“I am here to defend the title and also my winning streak. Alex (McInnes) and a few others are the men to beat. The main thing is not to make a mistake and to focus on myself. Alex is in form. This is what we all need - one competitor to bring the best out in us. This year will be exciting. After this, I am going for a surgery. The hand has healed but the bone is in the wrong position. Now I need to man-up.”
Riders will open proceedings each day through some of the most spectacular terrain on earth, but competition in the various FIA classes is also sure to be fierce. Top seed Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah will team up with Frenchman Max Delfino for a second time to lead the car field in his MD Optimus Buggy.
Competition in the flagship Ultimate class comes from last year’s regional Baja champion Dania Akeel, Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Saood Variawa, X-raid’s Lionel Baud, Czech privateer Miroslav Zapletal and Ahmed Al-Shamy in a Century CR6 Buggy.
Saudi driver Yasir Seaidan and Omani Hamed Al-Wahaibi are the early leaders of the Challenger classes in their respective Middle East and World Baja Cups. Seaidan faces competition from Dubai-based David Mabbs, Qatar’s Nouef Al-Sowaidi and fellow countryman Abdullah Al-Fahad, while last week’s Qatar International Rally winner Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari will be challenging Al-Wahaibi for points in the FIA World Baja Cup.
Argentina-based Fernando Alvarez is the early leader of the SSV section of the FIA World Baja Cup and heads a strong field that includes young Emirati Mansour Al-Helai, Dutch businessman Erik van Loon, talented Qatari rookie Mohammed Al-Marri and Norway’s Hedda Hosås.
Can-Ams dominate the 15-strong SSV field, although Pole Tomasz Bialkowski wheels out a Polaris RZR Pro R Sport to chase World Baja Cup points and Qatari Ahmed Al-Kuwari and San Marino’s Camelia Liparoti are entered in a pair of Yamaha YXZ 1000Rs.
The 2026 Jordan Baja is sponsored by Zain Jordan, Markazia Toyota Gazoo Racing, KUMHO tire, Ayla, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), Hala and Bliss FM.
Tomorrow (Thursday), the first riders will tackle the 12.78km Aseza Prologue stage at Rahmeh, 53km to the north of Aqaba, from 12.35hrs. The first FIA competitors will follow from 13.35hrs.
Several leading drivers and riders will then attend the pre-event press conference on the official start podium on the marina at the Ayla resort in Aqaba from 17.30hrs before the ceremonial start takes centre stage at 18.15hrs.
Source: Jordan Baja
Photo: Edo Photo
