Friday 26 / April / 2024
Abu Dhabi: Organisers of a new two-day off-road rally run over a spectacular desert route in the UAE have called on top drivers and riders from Sultanate of Oman and the rest of the region take up the challenge.
The inaugural Abu Dhabi Baja takes place in the Liwa desert on 15-16 November, and the Emirates Motorsport Club (EMC) aims to make it one of the best events of its kind in the Middle East. Based at the renowned Moreeb Dune facility with the backing of Liwa Sport Club, the Abu Dhabi Baja offers prize money in all categories - T1, T2, Group S and UTV Auto classes, as well as Motos 450, 250 and quad categories.
Taking place under the patronage of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, it is being launched as the flagship event of the UAE Baja Championship, currently in its debut season, with four one-day rallies already completed and another to follow in Fujairah on 13 December.
“We’ve already started attracting drivers and riders from the other Gulf countries, and we hope the launch of a two-day rally will bring many more to the UAE,” said Sheikh Abdullah Al Qassimi, founder and President of the Emirates Motorsport Club.
Mohammed Al Balooshi, the first Emirati bikes star to capture a World Cup rally title, says he will have to be at his best to win the Abu Dhabi Baja and maintain his championship hopes. After a fourth-round victory in Dubai earlier this month, Balooshi holds a fragile lead in the Motos 450 class of the inaugural UAE Baja Championship, and with only 11 points separating the top four riders the title race effectively remains wide open.
The 2018 FIM Bajas World Cup champion currently tops the standings by a single point from veteran rider Dave McBride, with Kuwait’s third-round winner Mohamed Jafar and Dubai-based South African Aaron Mare, winner of the first two rounds, also in contention.
“The competition is at a very good level in this first year of the championship and the arrival of the Abu Dhabi Baja will certainly add to that,” said Balooshi. “There’s very little between the top group of riders and nothing less than your best will be good enough to win.”
From the rally base at Moreeb Dune, competitors head out into the spectacular dunes of the Rub Al Khali for two special stages amounting to 250km of competitive off-road rallying, in a route totalling 280km in length, including liaisons.
Caption: Mohammed Al Balooshi says the new Abu Dhabi Baja underlines the UAE’s position as one of the world’s best stages for off-road rallying.
