The 2024 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will span 2,250 kilometres in total length, 1,450 km of which will be timed Selective Sections. It will also feature two bivouacs for the first time, with the main hub being in Al Dhannah while a new one opens in Liwa.
“In close collaboration with our valued strategic partners, our team has been working on enhancing the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge experience for our competitors, teams, media, spectators and sponsors,” said Khalid Ben Sulayem, who oversees the United Arab Emirates’ motorsport federation Emirates Motorsports Organization. “As we prepare to celebrate 33 years of the event’s history, the 2024 edition will feature a revamped format, including further changes to last year’s rally route and the introduction of a second bivouac. While still rooted in the iconic city of Abu Dhabi, these modifications aim to offer competitors a fresh, dynamic and more challenging event.
“We look forward to welcoming you all in Abu Dhabi for yet another epic adventure!”
Held annually since 1991, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is the second round of the World Rally-Raid Championship. While the rally predominantly takes place in the Liwa desert, 2024 will be the first time that the bivouac is situated in its confines. The primary bivouac in 2023 was in Qasr Al Sarab, a nearby desert resort, while Al Dhannah hosted the Prologue stage.
At 1,450 km in SS, the race will be longer than 2023’s 1,286 though neither surpass the 2022 edition’s 1,933.
The 2024 ADDC begins on 25 February with administrative checks and scrutineering in Abu Dhabi before heading to the first bivouac in Al Dhannah; both cities lie along the UAE’s coast. After Al Dhannah, the rally heads south to Liwa where competitors will spend three nights. It will end on 2 March back in Abu Dhabi.
