Pure emotion


June 11 th 2020 - 14:00 [GMT + 3]

The Dakar Rally is fueled by desire, a willingness, almost a need to be hurtling through vast emptiness on a pulse-racing adventure. And as we found out first-hand earlier this year, that desire is only continuing to burn stronger.

It was the Saudi Arabian Motorsport Federation’s greatest joy to bring Dakar Rally to Asia. Our 2020 race attracted Dakar’s biggest field of all time, with more countries represented than ever before, and was the ultimate challenge for the brave, all of whom dared once again to test how far the limits of the human body can go. You could feel every raw emotion: joy, passion, determination, euphoric highs, spirit-shattering lows, and all on a daily if not hourly basis. It was an unforgettable spectacle. Dakar has always been about the adventure and the experience pilots go through in their journey to reach the finish line. We took ensuring that this was the case for our debut hosting as a deeply personal task, which made deciding our route a thorough and trying process – a one-year journey of reconnaissance and assessment across the mammoth Saudi desert.

It was a thrilling 13-day climax to a mammoth year of preparation for us in partner with A.S.O.. Executing a mega-event of this size and genuine nation-wide scale meant the stakes were constantly sky-high. However, never did we cease in our determination to take the challenge and show the world the warmth of hospitality Saudi Arabia has to offer. This was a source of immense pride for everyone at SAMF, and I know for both myself and HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al Faisal personally. With 2021 now firmly in our sights, it is with unwavering excitement that we now prepare to do it all over again!

HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Faisal,

Chairman of the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation

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