2020 Dakar Rally set to be staged in Saudi Arabia

A new chapter for motorsports in the Middle East region is about to start as the 2020 edition of the world’s biggest and the most grueling race, the Dakar Rally, is set to be staged in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Flagging off in January 2020, the event will cover 9000 km across the country.

At a special event that happened in Qiddiya, which also acts as the finishing line for the race, the dates and route were revealed. His Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal Al Saud, Chairman of the Saudi General Sports Authority, commented that the country is thrilled to host the Dakar rally for the first time in Asia and as a part of a 10-year agreement.

The Dakar Rally had been staged in the African landscapes for 30 years and then in South America for 10 years, and this leg will be the first ever to be hosted in Asia.

The race will begin from Jeddah and the head north along the coast of Neom. From Neom, the race will move eastward into the country towards Ha’il. From Ha’il, it’s a southward stride towards the capital city, Riyadh. Then it enters the final leg of the journey through the Eastern Province, a part of the renowned Empty Quarter, towards Qiddiya. This leg of the journey can offer boundless beauty and the toughest test for racers at the same time. The rally ends at Qiddiya, a future hotspot for entertainment, sports and culture tucked beneath the Tuwaiq mountain cliffs.

The rally is likely part of KSA’s initiative to become a tourist destination.