The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) has confirmed that the Riyadh Baja, round two of the 2020 Saudi Toyota Desert Rally Championship, will take place on April 8th-11th.
Launched successfully in 2019, the series continues to attract the region’s best off-road racers, and interest in the sport has grown since the Kingdom hosted the Dakar Rally for the first time in January.
Ha’il hosted the opening round at the start of February, won by rookie driver Saleh Alabdelali in a Hummer, who now leads the series.
A new date
The three-day Riyadh Baja ran for the first time at the end of November last year but moves to the earlier April date in 2020. It will be based at the Green Halls stadium complex in Riyadh City, under the chairmanship of H.R.H. Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal and the supervision of Lebanese consultant Ziad Jamous.
Officials have extensive terrain available. The inaugural event, won by Yazeed Al-Rajhi after a close fight with French legend Stéphane Peterhansel, used desert terrain in the Saad National Park, with the ceremonial finish at Ad Diriyah.
Yousef Al-Dhaif won the UTV category last year, Emirati Mohammed Al-Balooshi won the motorcycles and Sufyan Al-Omar topped the quads.
After this year’s opening round in Ha’il, Al-Balooshi leads the Saudi series on two wheels, Riyadh Al-Oraifan leads the quads and Saleh Alabdelali holds that surprise early lead in the cars.
The rest of the calendar is confirmed, with the Aseer Baja on June 18-20 and three further rounds, Al-Qassim, Sharqiya and the Tabuk Cross-Country Rally, completing the series in the autumn.
SAMF officials are finalising the details and regulations for the event, which has the support of the new Ministry of Sports, Abdul Latif Jameel Motors (Toyota), the MBC Group, Al-Arabia outdoors and the Saudi Research and Marketing Group. The new Minister of Sport is Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal Al-Saud.
2020 Saudi Toyota Desert Rally Championship calendar
- Ha’il Cross-Country Rally – February 3-8
- Riyadh Baja – April 8-11
- Aseer Baja – June 18-20
- Al-Qassim Baja – October 1-3
- Sharqiya Baja – November 12-14
- Tabuk Cross-Country Rally – December 1-5