The 2021 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) continues with the Jordan Rally on May 27th-29th.
Missing from the revised 2020 calendar because of Covid-19, this year’s event has been moved back a week by Jordan Motorsport but remains round two of the MERC after the Oman round was postponed.
A record 15th home win in Qatar in late January gave Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah the early series lead, and the 13-time Jordan winner will look to continue his remarkable run over 10 planned stages.
The route
Jordan Motorsport has published an itinerary of two legs, with six and four gravel stages, around the Dead Sea and Mount Nebo, which hosted the FIA World Rally Championship in 2008, 2010 and 2011.
Friday, May 28th, has two loops of three stages: the 9.8km Syagha, a demanding 34.70km on the brand-new Adasiyah stage and an 11.34km stage near the Baptism Site, for 123.02 competitive kilometres.
Leg two (114.72km) opens with the tough 31.01km Jordan River stage, followed by the new Joufeh test (26.35km) before the midday regroup and service at the Dead Sea. Both are repeated in the afternoon before the podium finish and post-event press conference from 17.30hrs.
The rally is based at the Crown Plaza Dead Sea Resort and Spa, with full Covid-19 protocols, including proof of a negative test (valid for 48 hours) before access to the service park. Entries close on Thursday, May 13th.