Hail Baja Rally organisers trace rallying history ahead of Jan. 29 start

SPA

Hail, Jan 27 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Rally racing emerged in late 19th-century France, with early competitions held on unpaved roads before formal structures were established to govern the sport, according to an organisers’ briefing issued ahead of the Hail Toyota International Baja Rally.

The briefing notes that the Automobile Club de France became an early organising body for car racing after a series of informal events, including an official long-distance race from Paris to Bordeaux in 1895.

Rallying later expanded across Europe and North America, the organisers noted, paving the way for major competitive formats and flagship events that helped shape the modern rally calendar.

In Saudi Arabia, rally racing began in the Hail region with the launch of its first rally in 2006, a milestone that organisers described as the start of a new era for motorsport in the Kingdom. By 2026, the Hail event is set to have staged 21 editions, attracting both local and international competitors.

The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation has since expanded the national rally programme to other regions, alongside established Middle East events, as the Kingdom’s off-road calendar has grown in scale.

Organisers described the Hail Toyota International Baja Rally as one of the prominent rallies in Asia and the Middle East, citing its desert terrain and operational setup. The next edition is scheduled to begin on Jan. 29, 2026, the briefing added.