Hot on the heels of Saudi Arabia hosting the Dakar Rally for the first time, the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) is putting the final touches to the 15th Ha’il Nissan Rally, the opening round of the 2020 Saudi Desert Rally Championship on February 4th-8th.
The Ha’il event was Saudi Arabia’s first venture into international motorsport in 2006, making it the longest-running FIA-sanctioned event in the Kingdom’s history. This year’s opener runs under the chairmanship of H.R.H. Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal and the supervision of Lebanon’s Ziad Jamous, and will be observed for possible inclusion in the 2021 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.
Schedule
Scrutineering takes place at the technical college in Ha’il, with administration checks at the nearby Millennium Hotel on Monday (February 3rd). The official pre-event press conference is at 13.00hrs on Tuesday, before the ceremonial start from 16.00hrs.
Competitors then tackle four desert selective sections through the nearby An Nafud desert from Wednesday (February 5th) to the final stage and ceremonial finish on Saturday (February 8th).
Roll of honour
Farhan Ghuleb Al-Shammeri won the inaugural event in 2006, when the Ha’il Rally ran as a club event. Rajeh Al-Shammeri won the following year when it was an FIA candidate, and Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah triumphed in 2008, the first year it counted for the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas.
Since then Yazeed Al-Rajhi has won five times (2009-2010, 2012, 2015-2016), and Essa Al-Dossari has won the last two car events in his Nissan Navara as the rally keeps growing in popularity and entry quality.
Bikes were first allowed in 2013, when Khalid Al-Falaisi won on a Honda. Ahmed Al-Nasser then took a hat-trick before the UAE’s Sultan Al-Balooshi won on a KTM in 2018 and 2019.
Atif Al-Zarouni was the first quad winner in 2013, but Abdulmajeed Al-Khulaifi has since dominated with six successive victories. Saudi driver Talal Al-Thukair is the defending ATV champion in a Can-Am, and Ibrahim Al-Muhanna won the truck section when T4 vehicles were first allowed in 2019.
The event is held under the supervision of the Ha’il Regional Development Authority in co-operation with the General Authority for Tourism and National Heritage and the General Authority for Sport, under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Saud Al-Saud, Governor of Ha’il, and His Royal Highness Faisal Bin Fahed Bin Moqren Al-Saud.