The Baja Jordan officially got underway on Thursday with a typical short yet decisive 12-kilometer prologue near the village of Rahmeh. The fast desert test in Aseza determined the starting order for Friday’s first full stage through Wadi Rum. In the car category, Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah immediately laid down a marker, while Alex McInnes set the fastest time among the motorcycles.
According to the provisional results, Al Attiyah clocked a leading time of 8 minutes and 53.6 seconds in his MD Optimus. The Qatari was 36 seconds quicker than Toyota Gazoo Racing driver Saood Variawa, who is competing in Jordan for the first time. The South African settled for second place in his Toyota Hilux IMT Evo. Tomasz Bialkowski guided his Polaris RZR Pro R Sport to third overall and was also the fastest in the SSV class.
Challenger and SSV immediately on the pace
In the Challenger category, Yasir Seaidan was the fastest competitor. Driving his Taurus Evo Max, he secured fourth overall and finished just seconds ahead of Abdulaziz Al Kuwari. Several participants described the prologue as tricky. Dust, rocky sections, and demanding navigation led to early time losses and even wrong turns in the opening kilometers.
In the SSV class, Bialkowski topped the times, but Mansour Al Helei also impressed with a strong run in his Can Am. Fernando Álvarez, current leader of the FIA World Baja Cup in the SSV category, endured a difficult prologue and finished further down the order. Jordan’s Farah Zakaria made history as the first national driver to compete in the FIA category on home soil. She finished 23rd overall alongside her German navigator Jennifer Lerch.
Erik van Loon best Dutch driver in Aqaba
Representing the Netherlands, Erik van Loon started the event together with navigator Wouter Rosegaar in a BRP Can-Am Maverick R entered by South Racing Can-Am. The duo posted a time of 10 minutes and 20.2 seconds, placing them 11th overall. Van Loon finished 1 minute and 26.6 seconds behind Al Attiyah, putting himself in a solid position for the first full competitive stage in Wadi Rum.
The prologue was short but immediately revealed the performance gaps and competitive hierarchy. In the dust of the T2 cars and on the rocky surface, staying sharp and avoiding mistakes was crucial, as a poor starting position can quickly prove costly in the narrow passages of Wadi Rum.
Motorcycles and Quads set the tone
In the motorcycle category, FIM Bajas World Cup leader Alex McInnes was fastest with a time of 11 minutes and 19.7 seconds. Marcin Talaga followed in second place, while several favorites opted for a more tactical approach in order to secure a favorable starting position for Friday’s longer stage. In the quad category, Abdulaziz Al Atawi was the quickest on his Yamaha.
On to Wadi Rum
Friday features a demanding 225-kilometer special through the impressive landscapes of Wadi Rum, with both start and finish in Humaymeh. This ancient trading center provides the backdrop for a stage known for its spectacular vistas, towering rock formations, and fast yet treacherous tracks.
The first motorcycle sets off at 07:30, followed by the cars an hour later. It will then become clear whether Thursday’s rapid prologue was an early indication of the competitive order, or if the real battle only begins in the heart of the Jordanian desert.
