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.
