Jordan Rally

The Jordan Rally has been a round of the Middle Eastern Rally Championship since the 1980s, but it wasn't until 2008 that it made its debut on the world stage, when Jordan became the first Arab country to host a round of the WRC.

Under the guidance of His Royal Highness Prince Feisal Al Hussein, the chairman of Jordan Motorsport, the inaugural WRC rally was well run, stunning to watch and was hailed a success by teams and drivers. After a year out in 2009 the event returns this year with a few modifications but the same epic character.

This is a rally of extremes. From scorching temperatures - which can top 40 degrees Celsius - to the wild landscape the sandy gravel stages snake through. The headquarters and Service Park are located next to the Dead Sea at the lowest land point on earth, 50km away from the Kingdom’s capital city of Amman.

This year some of the 2008 stages have been modified and others replaced altogether in an effort to introduce more variety to the route, which starts in the forests north of Amman at altitudes of more than 1000 metres, then concentrates in and around the Jordan Valley at around 400 metres below sea level.

New for 2010

Two events for the price of one. The 2010 Jordan Rally counts as a round of both the FIA Middle Eastern Rally Championship and the World Rally Championship.

A revised itinerary. The timetable of the Jordan Rally follows the Islamic weekend by finishing on a Saturday as opposed to the traditional Sunday.

A ceremonial start at the City of Jerash - one of the largest and best preserved examples of Roman architecture in the world.