Kuwait has been selected to host the fifth round of the 2023 FIA Middle East Cup for Cross-Country Bajas and will stage a candidate event on December 15th-17th.
The new Baja is organised by the Kuwait International Motorsport Club (KIMC) in co-operation with the Kuwait International Automobile Club (KIAC).
Competition takes place over two 175.63km selective sections through the remote Kuwaiti desert on December 16th and 17th, each starting at the northern gateway town of Abdali and finishing at the Jal Al Liya escarpment, north of Al-Mutla City.
The Baja headquarters will be next to the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah bridge, near South Island in Kuwait City, hosting scrutineering and administration on December 14th and the pre-event press conference and ceremonial start on December 15th.
Kuwait’s Emad Jawd Bukhamseen chairs the organising committee, working with Issa Hamzeh, Mohammed Bukhamseen, Garbis Karzelian, Hamad Marafie, Hamad Al-Saif, Meshari Al-Sabti, John Spiller and Fuad Abu Arja.
On behalf of the organising committee and the board of directors at the Kuwait International Motorsport Club, I would like to thank the Minister of State for Youth Affairs, His Excellency Abdul Rahman Al-Mutairi, for his patronage of the Kuwait International Baja.
Emad Jawd Bukhamseen
Competitive sections have been chosen in the northern region of Kuwait and we are confident that all competitors will show their skills to the limit. We extend our thanks to the Governor of Jahra Governorate, His Excellency Mr. Nasser Falah Al-Hajraf, all departments of the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Health and to the general administration of Fire Fighting for their support.
Emad Jawd Bukhamseen
Former international co-driver John Spiller will be Clerk of the Course for the first time, with Al-Sabti as his deputy. Spiller was a regular MERC co-driver between 1984 and 2002 alongside the likes of Saeed Al-Hajri and FIA President and former rally driver Mohammed Ben Sulayem, and has recently been a key member of the organising teams for the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and Rally Kazakhstan.
Cross-country rallying is not new to Kuwait. The Marlboro BP 2000 Desert Challenge was first held on Kuwaiti terrain in 1987, when Ahmed Al-Hilal and co-driver Fahed Al-Rashed won by just 14 seconds in a Mitsubishi Pajero Turbo.
Expanded 2023 calendar
If December’s candidate event meets the FIA’s requirements, the Kuwait International Baja will join an expanded 2023 FIA Middle East Cup calendar. The Saudi Baja moves to early February, a new event is planned in Turkey, and the Jordan Baja moves from February to early November.
- Saudi Baja – February 2-4
- Qatar International Baja – March 16-18
- Baja Troia, Turkey – TBA
- Jordan Baja – November 2-4
- Kuwait International Baja – November 23-25
- Dubai International Baja – December 1-3
Entries officially close on Monday, December 4th.