Abu Dhabi's Sweihan desert will host the opening round of a new Baja rally season this Saturday, October 17, organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council together with the Emirates Motorsport Organisation. A total of 113 competitors from 23 nationalities have entered across four categories: motorcycles, quad bikes, cars and buggies.
Motorcycles make up the bulk of the entry list with 71 riders, followed by 20 buggy crews, 13 quad bike riders and nine car teams. Each round covers more than 100 kilometres, broken into laps of roughly 25 kilometres, with the fastest competitors expected to finish in around two hours.
The season will run for four rounds through April 2027, taking competitors across Sweihan, Liwa and Al Ain. Among the motorcycle entrants are Mohammed Al Balooshi, Hamdan Al Ali and Khalifa Al Rumaithi, while Mansour Al Heli and Khalid Al Kindi lead the car category. Classes this season span 450cc and above-450cc bikes, marathon and adventure categories, veterans, juniors and a dedicated women's class, with female riders also competing in the car and buggy divisions.
Organisers describe the rally as a chance for local riders to test themselves under genuine competitive conditions while building toward bigger regional and international championships. The event has long been a fixture on Abu Dhabi's motorsport calendar, drawing desert-racing fans back to the dunes each winter season as the Gulf's cooler months get underway. The remaining rounds of the season will be held at other desert venues across the UAE in the coming months.