The WRC’s maiden voyage to Saudi Arabia will take crews through 319 kilometres of competitive stages across terrain unlike anything else on the current calendar.
Based in Jeddah, the rally will showcase the dramatic diversity of Saudi Arabia’s landscape, from high-speed desert runs to technical coastal sections along the Red Sea. With no historical data to fall back on, teams will face the ultimate test of adaptability when the championship reaches its climax.
The competitive action kicks off on Wednesday (26 November) evening with the 5.22km Jameel Motorsport Super Special in Jeddah itself, before the rally heads into the unknown on Thursday with a gruelling opening loop.
The 19.36km Al Fasallyah test will be run morning and afternoon, sandwiching the 20.12km Moon Stage – a huge challenge for crews writing pace notes from scratch. Thursday’s final challenge comes courtesy of the 11.33km Khulays stage, again run twice before teams return to Jeddah for service and a second attempt of the Jameel Motorsport Super Special.
Friday ventures furthest from base, with stages reaching deep into the Saudi interior. The marathon day features two runs through three stages, starting with the 11.69km Alghullah, followed by the 30.58km Um Al Jerem. The loops conclude with runs through the technical 28.59km Wadi Almatwi stage, offering a more enclosed, winding character as crews head back towards service.
Saturday’s finale begins with the 16.39km Thabhan stage, before crews tackle the rally’s longest test – the 32.88km Asfan stage run just once. The rally concludes with the Thabhan 2 Wolf Power Stage (16.39km), providing a substantial points-scoring opportunity with championship implications potentially still hanging in the balance.
