AMMAN (JORDAN): The Jordan Baja will be the
second round of the new FIM Asia Baja Cup that was announced last year and
began with the Saudi Baja at the end of January.
The new series was approved by the FIM Asia
General Assembly in 2024 and will initially visit four events in 2025, running
in tandem with the FIA Middle East Baja Cup. The opening round was hosted by
the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and Jordan Motorsport
will oversee round two on April 10th-12th.
The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation
(QMMF) and the Emirates Motorsports Organisation (EMSO) will then host rounds
three and four on November 6th-8th and November 20th-23rd.
The season opener was based in the Saudi
Arabian city of Ha’il and attracted a strong entry just a couple of weeks after
the Kingdom hosted the legendary Dakar Rally. Victory at the opening round of
the FIM Asia Baja Cup went to four-time Jordan Baja winner Mohammed
Al-Balooshi. He collected 25 points to kick-start his title campaign.
An impressive 14 bikers and quad riders scored
points on the Saudi opener and that strength in depth bodes well for a bumper
field for the Jordan Baja in April. FIM Asia has 29 member countries and
officials are hopeful that a successful inaugural championship will see the
calendar expand to other events across the continent in the future.
EMSO riders filled the top two positions in
Saudi Arabia with Abdullah Lanjawi finishing second on his Kove. Further down
the list of finishers, Saudi Arabian rider Ibrahim Al-Jarallah picked up 11
championship points for fifth overall and Yaghoob Youssef Azadi was the leading
Qatari entered by the QMMF in sixth place.
Kuwait’s Sarah Khuraibet entered the event
through the Kuwait International Automobile Club (KIAC) and was the top female
rider at the finish in seventh. She reached the chequered flag ahead of two
riders entered by the SAMF, namely Abdulrahman Al-Medaihesh and Mohammed
Al-Muaikil.
The quad category was dominated by Saudi
riders with Haitham Al-Tuwaijri leading the way on his Yamaha and collecting 25
points. Abdulaziz Al-Shayban, Hani Al-Noumesi, Abdulaziz Al-Shammeri and
Abdulaziz Al-Atawi rounded off the quad finishers in the FIM Asia Baja Cup.
Jordan Motorsport’s Zaid Balqez has been an
integral member of the team to launch the FIM Asia Baja Cup.
Taking a break from his role as the chairman
of the organising committee for the forthcoming Jordan Baja, Balqez said: “The
FIM Asia Baja Cup is an exciting addition to the FIM off-road calendar and we
are delighted that the first year will run in tandem with the regional FIM
Bajas World Cup events and the FIA Middle East Baja Cup. The scope for
expansion of the championship is considerable. The interest in this form of
motor sport in the Middle East and Asia is growing fast and we are confident
that other ASNs and countries will come on board as the series develops,
attracting new riders and competitors in the process.
”The 2025 Jordan Baja will be based at the
Westin Saraya Aqaba Resort & Spa for the first time. Entries are now open
with the closing date set for Wednesday, March 26th.