The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia plans to host the Dakar Rally for the third year in a row. This competition is considered to be the most prestigious in terms of international participation and the most difficult rally due to the attraction of drivers from 70 nationalities.
Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisal, President of the Saudi Arabian Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and Chairman of the Saudi Trucking Company, in a recent speech stressed that preparations for the launch of the Dakar Rally are on track. This guarantees a successful rally.
The prince noted that the number of participants reflects the great interest in the rally on the part of racers and proves the confidence in the Kingdom’s capabilities in organizing the largest international event of this kind, which strengthens the Kingdom’s status as a new center for world motorsport.
A press conference on the upcoming event is scheduled for next Sunday, November 28th. It will be attended by the previously mentioned Prince Khalid bin Sultan al-Abdullah al-Faisal, the Minister of Sports of Saudi Arabia Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal Al Saud, as well as the CEO of Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) Jan le Menner and the director of Dakar David Kaster.
The races will kick off on January 1 in Hail, from where competitors will head to Riyadh to enjoy a day’s rest before challenging the Saudi desert and its sand dunes with a number of challenges. Completion of the race is scheduled in two weeks in the vicinity of Jeddah.
The 2022 Dakar-Saudi Arabia Rally is the largest in terms of the number of athletes. Drivers from France are the leading competitors, followed by Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and the Czech Republic.
This rally will include two circuit circuits that play a major role in providing team members with rest, focus, and maintenance, in addition to the marathon stage, which requires strategic planning with high mental and physical dedication and significant competition among riders to guarantee a high level of performance.
