The stage is set for an Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge as the UAE welcomes professionals and amateurs from across the globe, with the best and the bravest preparing to take on one of the most innovative and demanding routes in the rally’s 34-year history.

The Prologue has been transformed in new fashion, becoming a more spectator friendly version of the Desert Challenge’s 2025 curtain-raiser.

And for the first time in history, the challenging five-stage event will also start from Al Ain instead of Abu Dhabi.

Following the first stage from Al Ain all the way to Mezeer'ah, the drivers and riders of the 34th Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will then head to the bivouac at Al Qua’a which, as part of an exciting new approach, will be a marathon stage not just for bikes, but also cars.

With the third and fourth stages straddling the challenging marathon camp, where competitors are deprived of outside mechanical assistance and spare parts, those that survive will take on the grand finale of a fifth stage which culminates in stimulating Abu Dhabi.

The Ruler's Representative Court in Al Dhafra Region, which plays a vital role in the development and economic growth of the region, continues to encourage the development of the Desert Challenge as a stand-out event in the off-road calendar and the second round of the FIA and FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).

Abu Dhabi’s traditional desert rally-raid, though rich with history, continues to evolve with the times thanks to the longstanding support of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, who work closely with the event’s organisers Emirates Motorsports Organisation (EMSO).

Working tirelessly for the wellbeing of Al Dhafra’s people, all parties have an eye on sustainability, aiming at protecting the spectacular environment that the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge calls home, while always protecting the traditions and identity of the population.

Aref Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “The Desert Challenge has gone from strength to strength throughout its rich history and remains at the forefront of the rally-raid discipline after 34 years, thanks to a combination of hard work and a willingness to evolve, which has resulted in decades of well-deserved world championship status.”

The starting point for the 2025 Desert Challenge, the inland oasis of Al Ain, is steeped in history, and the exact location of the Super Special Stage amongst the Bronze Age remains will be announced shortly.

Running from Al Ain all the way to Mezeer'ah in the heart of the Liwa oasis, the first stage promises to test this year’s competitors from the outset and could prove to be the toughest stage as the race approaches the gateway to the mysterious and implacable Rub’ Al Khali.

From this green haven, the route heads out into intimidating 300-metre-high dunes. Part of the largest continuous sand desert on the planet, the Rub’ Al Khali also experiences extremes of temperature, ranging from over 50 degrees in the height of summer, down to just 5 degrees in winter.

As impressive as it is unforgiving, the Empty Quarter is a paradise for competitors. Whether on two wheels or four, the endless desert has always been a key factor in attracting such a prestigious international entry and cementing the Desert Challenge as a highlight of the W2RC calendar.

From Mezeer’ah the competitors close in on the marathon camp at Al Qua’a. With its incredible night sky and unique star shaped dunes, the scenery promises to be as dramatic as the racing. Deprived of any assistance, participants will be praying for a trouble-free run to and from Al Qua’a back to the Empty Quarter bivouac, where their vehicles can once again be fully serviced.

Following stages three and four, and the tough marathon bivouac regulations, both competitors and their vehicles will need to be on top form for the final charge towards the Arabian Gulf coast. Surrounded by scenery unchanged for thousands of years, the participants will race back to the skyscrapers of the Abu Dhabi, with the UAE capital providing a fitting backdrop for a rally that, like the city that shares its name, is constantly evolving in the search for excellence.