Majestic sand dunes of Saudi Arabia will once again form the backdrop for the Dakar Rally 2022, the world’s toughest extreme motorsports event. The event has been hosted in Saudi Arabia since 2020, and next year’s route will explore the country’s southern regions.

Ha’il To Jeddah In 14 Days

In the past two years, The Dakar was focused in the deserts of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital city, and passed the Red Sea coastline. The next edition will explore the Empty Quarter, surrounded by vast, mysterious stretches of sand, putting motor racing enthusiasts and their vehicles to the ultimate test. The Dakar Rally is known for its challenging terrains and the demands it places on drivers’ off-road navigation skills.

Participants will begin the event with scrutineering in Jeddah from December 29 to 31, 2021, before heading to Ha’il for the prologue and official start. Ha’il provides a gentle easing into the race, and the revving of engines on these sand dunes will mark the start of the Dakar Rally 2022. Ha’il was historically a stopover on the trade route linking the Red Sea and Mesopotamia. So as a place of rest and transit, the city has developed a welcoming feel. A bivouac will be set up to create an inviting atmosphere.

From Ha’il, racers will make their way through to Riyadh after completing some loops and showing off their driving prowess. They will have a short rest day in Riyadh, a city which extends over more than 1,500 km2 and is home to more than six million inhabitants. The Empty Quarter extends to the east of Riyadh and is one of the driest regions in the world, testing the endurance of Dakar drivers.

Final Destination: Jeddah

In the final stretch of the race, motorists will push for a two-day marathon, “old-fashioned style”, and complete their circuit in Jeddah on January 14, 2022. It will be an ultimate test of physical and mental endurance, mechanics and navigation, and as past races have proven, only the strongest will make it to the end. Jeddah is known as the Saudi kingdom’s economic hub, and travelling along the scenic Red Sea coastline en route to the podium will be a rewarding finish after the 8000km race.

Previous Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel and other race participants say they are looking forward to the Dakar Rally 2022 and excited to venture deeper into the sand sea of the Empty Quarter. So fasten your seatbelts! It’s bound to be nail-biting action all round.