New Prologue Location for Dubai International Baja: Stunning Hatta Mountains
The Dubai International Baja will take place from 28th November to 1st December 2024, celebrating 45 years since its debut as the Dubai Rally in 1979. This year’s event will feature a special prologue in Hatta on 29th November, set against the backdrop of the stunning Hatta mountains (Liason 130 km). This new addition aims to showcase a different side of the UAE, combining desert racing with mountainous terrain.
The prologue will be free for the public and promises spectacular scenery, with global TV broadcasts bringing the action to an international audience.
Registration closes on 15th November, attracting top Baja competitors from around the world.
Muhammad Khamis Al Muhairi, Vice President of the EMSO and of the UAE Sports Executive Committee:
🎤Our collaboration with the Dubai Government, alongside the FIA and FIM, reflects our commitment to delivering a remarkable experience that upholds the highest standards of organization and safety for all participants and spectators. This year, the event returns to Dubai Festival City, and we are excited to unveil the introduction of a prologue that will astonish our regular competitors with a new and fascinating terrain in the always welcoming city of Hatta. We are positive that this inclusion will enhance the rally's appeal for competitors, showcasing a landscape of Dubai that is perhaps less known to the international audience, and providing a fantastic spectacle for the local community to enjoy. With this mix, we anticipate a thrilling event that captivates audiences and competitors alike.
The Dubai International Baja will take place from 28th November to 1st December 2024, celebrating 45 years since its debut as the Dubai Rally in 1979. This year’s event will feature a special prologue in Hatta on 29th November, set against the backdrop of the stunning Hatta mountains (Liason 130 km). This new addition aims to showcase a different side of the UAE, combining desert racing with mountainous terrain.
The prologue will be free for the public and promises spectacular scenery, with global TV broadcasts bringing the action to an international audience.
Registration closes on 15th November, attracting top Baja competitors from around the world.
Muhammad Khamis Al Muhairi, Vice President of the EMSO and of the UAE Sports Executive Committee:
🎤Our collaboration with the Dubai Government, alongside the FIA and FIM, reflects our commitment to delivering a remarkable experience that upholds the highest standards of organization and safety for all participants and spectators. This year, the event returns to Dubai Festival City, and we are excited to unveil the introduction of a prologue that will astonish our regular competitors with a new and fascinating terrain in the always welcoming city of Hatta. We are positive that this inclusion will enhance the rally's appeal for competitors, showcasing a landscape of Dubai that is perhaps less known to the international audience, and providing a fantastic spectacle for the local community to enjoy. With this mix, we anticipate a thrilling event that captivates audiences and competitors alike.
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Mohammed Al Balooshi (ARE) #1 Yamaha YZ450, Moto category
🙈Hi everyone, this is Mohammed Al-Belooshi. We are here in Jordan, Baja, 2024. I'm very excited to be starting here. I like Jordan Baja. The terrain is really nice. It's closer to some of the stages in Dakar. And for me, I am very excited and very ready to do my best and increase the gap in the competition. Right now we are leading the championship by two points. Hopefully after this race we extend the lead before going to Dubai. It's been two long weekends, two long weeks actually. Qatar was quite tough and then immediately we go to Portugal, a bit of mud, different terrain, different forecast. But all in all I'm happy to be back in the Middle East. The sun suits me and hopefully it translates to the win this weekend.
🙈Hi everyone, this is Mohammed Al-Belooshi. We are here in Jordan, Baja, 2024. I'm very excited to be starting here. I like Jordan Baja. The terrain is really nice. It's closer to some of the stages in Dakar. And for me, I am very excited and very ready to do my best and increase the gap in the competition. Right now we are leading the championship by two points. Hopefully after this race we extend the lead before going to Dubai. It's been two long weekends, two long weeks actually. Qatar was quite tough and then immediately we go to Portugal, a bit of mud, different terrain, different forecast. But all in all I'm happy to be back in the Middle East. The sun suits me and hopefully it translates to the win this weekend.
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Joao Dias (PRT) #403, Can-Am Maverick, Santag Racing Team, Challenger group
🎤Hello, welcome to Baja Jordan. This is going to be our first time here. I'm really enjoying the area where the race will take place. We'll treat this as a training session to better prepare for our Dakar 2025. Thank you for the opportunity.
🎤Hello, welcome to Baja Jordan. This is going to be our first time here. I'm really enjoying the area where the race will take place. We'll treat this as a training session to better prepare for our Dakar 2025. Thank you for the opportunity.
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Joao Ferreira (PRT) #400, Can-Am Maverick, Santag Racing, SSV category
🎤Hello, here we are in Jordan for another round of the World Cup. We just landed yesterday night and today we were just checking the cards if everything was okay after Qatar. And tomorrow is our shakedown and in the afternoon we'll have the prologue. It's my first time here, like I said, and I don't know what kind of race it will be, but for sure it's going to be a very long race for the mileage we see. And we'll expect to score as many points as we can for the World Cup.
🎤Hello, here we are in Jordan for another round of the World Cup. We just landed yesterday night and today we were just checking the cards if everything was okay after Qatar. And tomorrow is our shakedown and in the afternoon we'll have the prologue. It's my first time here, like I said, and I don't know what kind of race it will be, but for sure it's going to be a very long race for the mileage we see. And we'll expect to score as many points as we can for the World Cup.
Hungarian Championship: eighth title for Miroslav Zapletal
Zapletal and Sýkora became Hungarian champions for the sixth consecutive time - 2018–2024 (the 2020 championship was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic). In addition, Miroslav Zapletal is an eight-time Hungarian champion (2009, 2016, 2018–2019, 2021–2024).
https://medium.com/@crosscountryrally/hungarian-championship-eighth-title-for-miroslav-zapletal-0ca8805e9093
Zapletal and Sýkora became Hungarian champions for the sixth consecutive time - 2018–2024 (the 2020 championship was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic). In addition, Miroslav Zapletal is an eight-time Hungarian champion (2009, 2016, 2018–2019, 2021–2024).
https://medium.com/@crosscountryrally/hungarian-championship-eighth-title-for-miroslav-zapletal-0ca8805e9093
Medium
Hungarian Championship: eighth title for Miroslav Zapletal
By Stephan Wolf
Portugal Championship: victory for Dias, title for Ferreira
🎤This season has shown that big changes have now begun in the Portuguese championship. The main feature is that there is no longer such a dominance of competitors in T1/T1+ cars. The initiative is more and more often taken over by crews on lightweight prototypes Challenger - this year they won two final rounds in the overall standings (Miguel Barbosa on Baja Portalegre 500, João Dias on Baja TT Oeste de Portugal). In addition, the T3 group representatives have finished the championship in the Top 3 overall for at least three consecutive years.
https://medium.com/@crosscountryrally/portugal-championship-victory-for-dias-title-for-ferreira-bc9c50f988d4
🎤This season has shown that big changes have now begun in the Portuguese championship. The main feature is that there is no longer such a dominance of competitors in T1/T1+ cars. The initiative is more and more often taken over by crews on lightweight prototypes Challenger - this year they won two final rounds in the overall standings (Miguel Barbosa on Baja Portalegre 500, João Dias on Baja TT Oeste de Portugal). In addition, the T3 group representatives have finished the championship in the Top 3 overall for at least three consecutive years.
https://medium.com/@crosscountryrally/portugal-championship-victory-for-dias-title-for-ferreira-bc9c50f988d4
Medium
Portugal Championship: victory for Dias, title for Ferreira
By Stephan Wolf
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Amerigo Ventura (ITA) #402 Yamaha YXZ1000R, Quaddy Racing, SSV category
🎤Hello everyone, Amerigo and Erika here in Jordan Baja. First time for us and what to say, we arrived in Jordan a few days ago and what a beautiful country and completely different landscape, amazing one and behind us there is the big castle where we will have the headquarter and the first meeting of the race. We are really curious to see what would be the plan of this race to understand how the race will be and we do a quick test this morning, everything went good, we have the first taste of the red sand, it's amazing and yesterday also some dunes also had a small swim into the sea that the assistance area is really close to the sea in a beautiful landscape and let's see for Erika first time in a sea.
The first time for me in Jordan it's a magical landscape the people all it's magical the tasks are quite good for the navigation the road it's quite good it's more different to Qatar more visible than Qatar and so, perfect, we wait for the briefing and enjoy.
🎤Hello everyone, Amerigo and Erika here in Jordan Baja. First time for us and what to say, we arrived in Jordan a few days ago and what a beautiful country and completely different landscape, amazing one and behind us there is the big castle where we will have the headquarter and the first meeting of the race. We are really curious to see what would be the plan of this race to understand how the race will be and we do a quick test this morning, everything went good, we have the first taste of the red sand, it's amazing and yesterday also some dunes also had a small swim into the sea that the assistance area is really close to the sea in a beautiful landscape and let's see for Erika first time in a sea.
The first time for me in Jordan it's a magical landscape the people all it's magical the tasks are quite good for the navigation the road it's quite good it's more different to Qatar more visible than Qatar and so, perfect, we wait for the briefing and enjoy.
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Ahmed Alkuwari (QAT) #404, Yamaha YXZ1000R Sport Shift, SSV category
🎤Good afternoon. I'm here. We're racing the Jordan Baja here in beautiful Aqaba. We are very excited to be here. We are happy and my colleagues and friends are there also. They're racing. I'm racing with the with the in this Bahia in the SSV category because we are leading currently the championship in both SSVs and overall. We're very excited. This is the race before last for this season. We're hoping to do a good result and continue our lead and maybe even, inshallah, increase our lead for the last round and so we can relax in Dubai a little bit. So yeah and here in Jordan we are very excited to race in Wadi Rum and it's beautiful on the way here we saw beautiful it's very nice we just arrived this morning so it's been a rush and we have a long day ahead of us so very excited
🎤Good afternoon. I'm here. We're racing the Jordan Baja here in beautiful Aqaba. We are very excited to be here. We are happy and my colleagues and friends are there also. They're racing. I'm racing with the with the in this Bahia in the SSV category because we are leading currently the championship in both SSVs and overall. We're very excited. This is the race before last for this season. We're hoping to do a good result and continue our lead and maybe even, inshallah, increase our lead for the last round and so we can relax in Dubai a little bit. So yeah and here in Jordan we are very excited to race in Wadi Rum and it's beautiful on the way here we saw beautiful it's very nice we just arrived this morning so it's been a rush and we have a long day ahead of us so very excited
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Fernando Alvarez (ARG) #401 Can-Am Maverick, SSV category
🎤Well, we are in Jordan, the Baja Jordan. We arrived this morning, early, early in the morning, 3 a.m., and then we sleep three hours, and then we move 400 kilometers just to take the car to make the shakedown, but we did it. We are happy. We are really positive. You know, I feel really good. We will see the race. It's a complicated race. It's easy to punch here, but it's open desert, in the open desert we used to make a good job so we will try to do our job and the other people if they wanna use or play bad in that championship is their problem and I think it's I am happy now because I think now we are T4 championship so it was it was our when we start the season was always is why we is what we are gonna want to do and on the other side, we can win the overall, we will be happy also. So we will see. We have two, three days, really heavy days. Friday will be really a tasty day for all of us. So we will see.
Do you like Jordan?
Yeah, I like Jordan. Last year we made a good job and it's a really nice place. And two weeks ago, three weeks ago, we were thinking that the race, it doesn't happen. But now we are here racing near the bumps, but exciting, exciting and really, like I say, with a really positive energy for that race.
🎤Well, we are in Jordan, the Baja Jordan. We arrived this morning, early, early in the morning, 3 a.m., and then we sleep three hours, and then we move 400 kilometers just to take the car to make the shakedown, but we did it. We are happy. We are really positive. You know, I feel really good. We will see the race. It's a complicated race. It's easy to punch here, but it's open desert, in the open desert we used to make a good job so we will try to do our job and the other people if they wanna use or play bad in that championship is their problem and I think it's I am happy now because I think now we are T4 championship so it was it was our when we start the season was always is why we is what we are gonna want to do and on the other side, we can win the overall, we will be happy also. So we will see. We have two, three days, really heavy days. Friday will be really a tasty day for all of us. So we will see.
Do you like Jordan?
Yeah, I like Jordan. Last year we made a good job and it's a really nice place. And two weeks ago, three weeks ago, we were thinking that the race, it doesn't happen. But now we are here racing near the bumps, but exciting, exciting and really, like I say, with a really positive energy for that race.
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Eduard Pons (ESP) #300, Taurus T3 MAX, Nasser Racing, Challenger category
Hello, we are in Aqaba, south of Jordan, ready for the Jordan Baja. Just this morning we did the shakedown. Happy, the car is performing very well and ready for this kind of race with multiple canyons, sandy roads and many many stones. Punctures will be also one thing to consider. Nothing. Here, quiet, easy, in Jordan, thinking about a future visit, to visit Petra. Not this time, here we are for the race, but it's my second time and I'm thinking on my third visit to Jordan, Petra will be my goal. Thank you.
Hello, we are in Aqaba, south of Jordan, ready for the Jordan Baja. Just this morning we did the shakedown. Happy, the car is performing very well and ready for this kind of race with multiple canyons, sandy roads and many many stones. Punctures will be also one thing to consider. Nothing. Here, quiet, easy, in Jordan, thinking about a future visit, to visit Petra. Not this time, here we are for the race, but it's my second time and I'm thinking on my third visit to Jordan, Petra will be my goal. Thank you.
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Abdulaziz Alkuwari (QAT) #305 Taurus T3 Max, Nasser Racing, Challenger category
🎤Hello, good evening, everyone. We are here in Jordan, Baha. I'm looking very forward and excited for this nice event. This is one of my best countries, let's say, one of my favourite countries to drive in. I like Jordan a lot. I have a lot of good results and good luck, let's say. Hopefully, this weekend will be a lucky weekend for me also. Today, we did the shakedown or small test. It was very good.
Very, very good, to be honest. I'm very happy with the Taurus. I'm learning the car every rally more and more, and after two rallies in the car now I can say that I'm improving always and learning a lot. So hopefully this rally will be my best rally. Normally the third is the best, so let's say the third rally in this car will be my best. Looking forward, good entry in this rally, good drivers for sure, but we have to do our best and hopefully have a very good result, let's say, hopefully our best result. Tomorrow we have the prologue of three kilometres. We don't know the place exactly, but I think, as I hear, that it's a very good place on the beach, next to the mountains, so we are looking forward for that also, to do a good stage time and hopefully to have a very good starting position. So wait for us and hopefully you enjoy and we enjoy together in this rally.
🎤Hello, good evening, everyone. We are here in Jordan, Baha. I'm looking very forward and excited for this nice event. This is one of my best countries, let's say, one of my favourite countries to drive in. I like Jordan a lot. I have a lot of good results and good luck, let's say. Hopefully, this weekend will be a lucky weekend for me also. Today, we did the shakedown or small test. It was very good.
Very, very good, to be honest. I'm very happy with the Taurus. I'm learning the car every rally more and more, and after two rallies in the car now I can say that I'm improving always and learning a lot. So hopefully this rally will be my best rally. Normally the third is the best, so let's say the third rally in this car will be my best. Looking forward, good entry in this rally, good drivers for sure, but we have to do our best and hopefully have a very good result, let's say, hopefully our best result. Tomorrow we have the prologue of three kilometres. We don't know the place exactly, but I think, as I hear, that it's a very good place on the beach, next to the mountains, so we are looking forward for that also, to do a good stage time and hopefully to have a very good starting position. So wait for us and hopefully you enjoy and we enjoy together in this rally.
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Nasser Alkuwari (QAT) #305 Taurus T3 Max, Nasser Racing, Challenger category
🎤Hello, this is Nasser Alkuwari, co-driver of my brother Abdulaziz AlKuwari. We are participating Jordan Baja. This is my third time here as a co-driver. I have a good idea about the stages in that area, Wadi Rum, we will do in the next two days.
My brother is improving a lot, every rally, every stage, every kilometre. Everybody saw his result or our result last day in Qatar. We won T3 class and we were second overall.
So we are coming here to fight for the title, I mean for the T3. If we can, we will go for the overall title. And we are improving. We are looking forward to Dakar 2025. So every rally will be for us a special rally to prepare 100% for Dakar, so we are ready to follow a cross-country rally.
What can you say about the desert here?
The desert is close to Tabuk, Al Ula, close to that area. A lot of places will cross close to that area in Saudi Arabia. So I have a good idea about how to drive there, how to avoid the mistakes, how to avoid getting lost in this area. So we are ready, we are preparing 100%, we don't have anything to lose, so we are going flat out from the beginning.
🎤Hello, this is Nasser Alkuwari, co-driver of my brother Abdulaziz AlKuwari. We are participating Jordan Baja. This is my third time here as a co-driver. I have a good idea about the stages in that area, Wadi Rum, we will do in the next two days.
My brother is improving a lot, every rally, every stage, every kilometre. Everybody saw his result or our result last day in Qatar. We won T3 class and we were second overall.
So we are coming here to fight for the title, I mean for the T3. If we can, we will go for the overall title. And we are improving. We are looking forward to Dakar 2025. So every rally will be for us a special rally to prepare 100% for Dakar, so we are ready to follow a cross-country rally.
What can you say about the desert here?
The desert is close to Tabuk, Al Ula, close to that area. A lot of places will cross close to that area in Saudi Arabia. So I have a good idea about how to drive there, how to avoid the mistakes, how to avoid getting lost in this area. So we are ready, we are preparing 100%, we don't have anything to lose, so we are going flat out from the beginning.
Press Release: Jordan Baja starts at Arab Revolt Plaza in Red Sea city of Aqaba on Thursday afternoon
https://medium.com/@crosscountryrally/jordan-baja-starts-at-arab-revolt-plaza-in-red-sea-city-of-aqaba-on-thursday-afternoon-ea7a562f9342
https://medium.com/@crosscountryrally/jordan-baja-starts-at-arab-revolt-plaza-in-red-sea-city-of-aqaba-on-thursday-afternoon-ea7a562f9342
Medium
Jordan Baja starts at Arab Revolt Plaza in Red Sea city of Aqaba on Thursday afternoon
The Jordan Baja gets underway with a short Prologue stage (13.50hrs) and the ceremonial start at the Arab Revolt Plaza in the Red Sea City…
Co-driver Filipe Palmeiro shared his first impressions of Jordan and reflected on the challenging stage of the Portuguese championship alongside his driver João Ferreira. Despite battling illness during the Baja Oeste, Joao and Filipe pushed through to secure the title.
🎤We have just arrived in Baja Jordan from Baja Oeste, which was a really, really good race for us, even though we were sick there. It was a virus for Joao and me.But in the end we managed to win the championship. João did a very good job in that situation. He didn't sleep the night before the last stage and was very weak in the morning. I don't know where he found the strength to do the last long stage and he did it quite well. I only felt bad at the end of the stage. It is a difficult year, we have a lot of races, a lot of flights, sometimes we can catch a cold or a virus. I got a bit sick in Morocco and during the Dakar, but that does not stop us.
It was a good Portuguese championship for us. It is my first time to win the championship. I have to thank João and Paulo for this opportunity and X-raid for giving us a very good car and a very good team that is always prepared, even in situations that are not always easy.
Now we are with Santag team in Aqaba, we are almost well. The first impression of the Jordan Baja here is good. The organisers seem to be very professional. As for the current global situation, we haven’t noticed any issues here. It's a really beautiful country and it's good to be here and I hope we can finish in a good position.
🎤We have just arrived in Baja Jordan from Baja Oeste, which was a really, really good race for us, even though we were sick there. It was a virus for Joao and me.But in the end we managed to win the championship. João did a very good job in that situation. He didn't sleep the night before the last stage and was very weak in the morning. I don't know where he found the strength to do the last long stage and he did it quite well. I only felt bad at the end of the stage. It is a difficult year, we have a lot of races, a lot of flights, sometimes we can catch a cold or a virus. I got a bit sick in Morocco and during the Dakar, but that does not stop us.
It was a good Portuguese championship for us. It is my first time to win the championship. I have to thank João and Paulo for this opportunity and X-raid for giving us a very good car and a very good team that is always prepared, even in situations that are not always easy.
Now we are with Santag team in Aqaba, we are almost well. The first impression of the Jordan Baja here is good. The organisers seem to be very professional. As for the current global situation, we haven’t noticed any issues here. It's a really beautiful country and it's good to be here and I hope we can finish in a good position.