Jordan Motorsport published the official entry for the 2022 Jordan Baja on Tuesday, with competitors from 20 nations set for next weekend’s three-day round of the FIA World and Middle East Cups for Cross-Country Bajas and the FIM Bajas World Cup.
Saudi pair Yazeed Al-Rajhi and last year’s winner Yasir Seaidan head FIA T1, alongside Czech veteran Miroslav Zapletal and fellow Saudi Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri.
Crowded T3 and T4 classes
The fiercest fights are expected in FIA T3 and T4, with 12 Can-Am Mavericks in the T3 lightweight prototype section and seven more in T4.
Saudi Arabia’s Saleh Al-Saif may start as T3 favourite, but his rivals from the UAE, Spain, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Portugal include Dania Akeel, the 2021 T3 World Champion in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, as well as Fernando Alvarez, Filipe Nascimento, Pavel Silnov and Thomas Bell.
Kuwait’s Meshari Al-Thefiri comes straight from this weekend’s Qatar International Rally, swapping a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X for a less powerful Can-Am. He faces experienced Dutchman Kees Koolen, Brazil’s Cristiano de Sousa, Lithuania’s Valeiša Egidijus and Spain’s Eduard Pons across the spectacular terrain of Wadi Rum and Wadi Araba.
FIM field
Twenty-three motorcycles, six quads and two SSVs will contest the opening round of the FIM Bajas World Cup. Two-time winner Mohammed Al-Balooshi (2019 and 2021) leads the bikes against local rider Abdullah Abu Aisha, Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Shatti and riders from Australia, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Saudi riders dominated last year’s FIM Bajas World Cup, and Haitham Al-Tuwaijri, Hani Al-Noumesi and Faisal Al-Suwayh head a six-strong quad field that includes local entrant Saif Al-Abbadi on his Yamaha 450 YF.
National Baja
Jordan Motorsport is also running a National rally alongside the FIA Baja. A dozen crews have entered, led by Al-Mashna Al-Shammeri in his Nissan Patrol, with competitors from Palestine, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Gaith Qubti, Al-Hassan Khatib and Hashem Kalbouneh represent the host nation.
The Baja is based at the Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla Resort, with the start and finish at the Old Port in Aqaba City on the Red Sea. Support comes from Mountain Dew, Budget, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC), Hala and Bliss FM.