Rally Jameel Takes the Start Line at Petra — and Crosses Into a New Chapter
From Saudi Arabia to Jordan
When Rally Jameel’s fourth edition set its starting point at Petra, the ancient World Heritage Site in Jordan, it was the first time the event had crossed an international border. The expansion reflected the organizers’ stated goal of making the rally more global with each edition, and it drew on deep historical and commercial ties between the two countries.
Jordan was selected for several reasons. Its Nabatean heritage connects it culturally to northwestern Saudi Arabia, particularly AlUla. The country has one of the longest motorsport histories in the Middle East, hosting a World Rally Championship round as early as 2008. And Central Trade and Auto Company, the Toyota and Lexus distributor in Jordan, was an enthusiastic partner — mirroring the role Abdul Latif Jameel Motors plays in Saudi Arabia.
The Women’s Empowerment Thread
Hassan Jameel has described Rally Jameel’s emphasis on women’s participation as rooted in personal experience. Watching Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda compete in races under the alias “Morizo” convinced him that there was something irreplaceable about getting behind the wheel yourself — and that the same challenge could empower others.
“I then had an opportunity to learn how to drive a rally car with a professional driver, and that day was the most fun I’ve had in my life,” Hassan has said. “Just as Chairman Akio inspired me and rekindled my motivation to push myself, I believe this challenge will empower women.” His own entry into the 2026 Dakar Rally followed the same logic.
Changing Perceptions
Nadim Haddad, CEO of Central Trade and Auto Company, said he hoped the event would help international participants see Jordan and Saudi Arabia as places to return to. “Some may think of the Middle East as a hostile or unwelcoming place. If Rally Jameel can change such perceptions and make them see Jordan and Saudi Arabia as a second home they can always return to, that would be a great success.”
Hassan put it simply at the time: “I want the world to see that Saudi Arabia is an open country.” Rally Jameel is now one of the more visible instruments of that message, running through landscapes that few international participants had previously experienced.