Qatar hosts an impressive line-up for the International Baja

Forty-five motorcycles and eight quads will line up for the fifth round of the FIM Bajas World Cup at Lusail next weekend. The entire team at the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has worked tirelessly to refine the route for the Qatar International Baja, resulting in a 2026 edition that is eighteen point four per cent longer.

Following a liaison section of over thirty-five kilometres, the forty-five motorcycle riders and eight quad entrants will tackle a 11.12km Prologue on Thursday (October 29th) afternoon. This will determine the starting order for the first special stage the following day.

Friday (October 30th), the first full day of racing, will be particularly demanding and features 336.45km of special stages and 127.5 km of liaison sections, totalling 463.99km. The route will traverse the deserts of northern and central Qatar before returning to the service park in Lusail.

The second special stage takes place on Saturday, October 31st. It has been shortened by thirteen point seven per cent to 204.79 km, ensuring the race concludes at an earlier hour. The route will traverse the unique landscapes of southern Qatar, including a passage through the challenging dunes of the Sealine region in the southeast.

In total, the Qatar International Baja will feature 552.36km of timed special stages, covering an overall distance of 860.05km.

Among the entrants is Junior rider and three-time event winner Konrad Dabrowski (Duust KTM); while he is not in the running for the overall title, he will certainly be keen to secure a race win. To do so, he will have to contend with another Junior, Alex McInnes (KTM) — the current leader of the FIM Bajas World Cup with fifty-eight points.

Trailing McInnes are Abdulhalim Al Mogeera (KTM) with fifty-six points, Dubai’s Mohammed Al Balooshi (KTM) with fifty points, and a third Junior, Ethan Lane, with thirty-eight points.

In the Women’s category, the field includes Joanna Modrzewska (Triumph), who has already accumulated ninety points, and Priyankka Dutta, who has sixteen points.

n the Quad category, eight riders will compete for victory, including current leader Ahmed Al-Jaber (sixty-seven points), Hani Al-Noumesi (sixty points), and Abdulaziz Al-Atawi (thirty-six points).