Amman, Jan. 4 (Petra) – Jordan Motorsport announced on Sunday it will host the Jordan Baja from February 12 to 14, comprising the second round of the FIA Cross-Country Baja Middle East and Asia Cup, the third round of the FIM Baja World Cup for motorcycles and quads, in addition to the local Jordan Baja and the Wadi Al Qamar Navigation Rally.

The event will be held in Aqaba and is among the major sporting events hosted by the Kingdom ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. It follows the Saudi Baja, scheduled for January 29–31, which serves as the opening round of the same championships.

For the second time in three years, the Jordan Baja will be headquartered at the Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla Resort. The three-day rally will traverse varied terrain in southern Jordan, primarily the Wadi Rum desert, covering a total distance of 821.69 kilometers, including 472.19 kilometers of timed competitive stages, subject to FIA approval.

The rally will begin on Thursday, February 12, with a 15.50-kilometer Super Special Stage (ASEZA), located 58 kilometers from Aqaba. On Friday, February 13, competitors will tackle the first desert stage, extending 245.02 kilometers through the Wadi Rum desert in the Humayma area.

The second and final stage, covering 211.67 kilometers, will take place on Saturday, February 14, followed by the awards ceremony and closing press conference at Ayla Resort.

Khaled Zakaria will serve as event director for cross-country vehicles under the FIA Baja category, while George Khoury will oversee the motorcycle and quad competitions under the FIM Baja category.

Head of the organizing committee Zaid Balqaz said moving the rally to February will provide more moderate weather conditions in Aqaba and Wadi Rum, positively affecting competitors’ performance and the overall level of competition.

He said the Jordan Baja is known for its demanding navigation requirements and diverse terrain, ranging from open desert tracks to rocky sections, in addition to the distinctive natural landscapes of southern Jordan.

Launched in 2018 as a candidate event under FIA regulations, the Jordan Baja has since become a fixture on the FIA calendar. Five different drivers have claimed the car category title: Jakub Przygonski of Poland, Yasser Saedan and Saleh Saif of Saudi Arabia, Khalid Jafleh of the United Arab Emirates, and defending champion Juan Cruz Yacopini of Argentina.

In the motorcycle category, the UAE’s Mohammed Balooshi is the most successful rider, having secured five titles since 2019. Quad category titles have been won by Faisal Suwaih, Abdulmajeed Khulaifi, Abdulaziz Shiban, and Hani Noumsi of Saudi Arabia.

In the Challenger, SSV, and Stock categories, the previous edition’s champions were Abdulaziz Kuwari of Qatar, Hamzah Bakhashab of Saudi Arabia, and Abdulla Rabban of Qatar, respectively.

Jordan Motorsport said registration for this year’s edition is open and will close on Wednesday, January 28. Further details are available via the Sportity application using the access codes 26JBFIA and 26JBFIM.

//Petra// AJ

04/01/2026 13:37:47