Badawi Trail to the Last Oasis 2026 - Preview
*Stage is Set for Second Running of this Middle Eastern Classic
*Rejigged Route Keeps Rally as Safe as Possible
*Intriguing and Varied Entry Set to Compete Across 13 Days
The Badawi Trail to the Last Oasis will begin on Saturday, with the start taking place within the walls of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Three weeks later, the racetrack should have been hosting the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but as we know, the world has changed over the past month. Our rally seems insignificant in the face of conflict, a conflict that has turned people’s lives in this region upside down in recent weeks. We are the fortunate ones, and we count our blessings that we are able to forge ahead with this event – albeit in a speedily rejigged format.
The rally should have been taking place over three weeks, with a route that ran across Saudi, into Oman and the UAE, with a planned finish in Dubai. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to return to those places at this time, and revisit old friends from the inaugural running of this event in 2023. Thankfully though, we are able to run an event that is now centered around the western part of Saudia Arabia, with a large majority of that following the planned route, with additional days added to create a Saudi only rally, starting and ending in Jeddah.
None of this would be possible without the blessing and the friendship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who were still keen for the rally to go ahead and who have helped facilitate the running of the additional days. Saudi has of course felt the repercussions of the conflict, despite not being involved. The rally will take place in the designated green zone, that is least at risk and an area considered safe by the UK foreign office. A view that is also shared by the events insurance. We will all be mindful though of what is happening not very far away, and all the more conscious of what a tremendous privilege it is to be able to compete.
The new rally route will take competitors into areas of the Kingdom seldom seen by foreigners, with 5000 kilometers of adventure waiting for the 23 crews who will take the starters flag on Saturday morning. Ahead of them are 13 days of tremendous rallying, in a loop around the west of the Kingdom. There will of course be plenty of desert driving, more so now as we will follow in the wheel tracks of the Classic Dakar, and the extra offroad competition will no doubt be a treat for all involved. The KSA is about so much more than desert though, with tremendous mountains and even better roads cutting a path through the ancient topography.
It isn’t just the varied landscape that is spectacular, Saudi Arabia is full of other wonders too, both ancient and modern. The rock tombs at Hegra, and the Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building that serves as a giant optical illusion are just two of the highlights of our journey, not to mention a lap or two of the Grand Prix circuit to kick things off!
The entry list boasts some magnificent machines, with no less than a quarter of the field entered in pre-war cars, the oldest of which is the 1907 Itala 35/40, being campaigned by Tomas de Vargas Machuca and Ben Cussons, shaking down ahead of the car taking part in the 2028 Peking to Paris. Peter and Debbie Fitzcharles, veterans of last season’s Pearl of India rally are also taking part in a vintage machine, switching their Mercedes for a 1939 Chevy Fangio, a car with a proven pedigree in this sort of competition. Richard Clark and Jonathan Round are also entered in Richards familiar black Ford V8, the same car they campaigned in the 2023 event.
In the Classic category there are a number of standout machines, perhaps none more so than the pair of Prodrive Mustangs, that will create the most tremendous din in the desert if they are ever travelling in formation. At the other end of the motoring spectrum are the trio of 4x4 machines that will compete for honours in Class 6, featuring a pair of Toyota Landcruiser’s, as well as a Range Rover. Perhaps the toughest class though will be the highly subscribed Class 4, that features the usual ranks of Porsches, Datsun’s, BMW’s and Peugeots in a category that will surely offer an intriguing subplot to the overall results.
Of course, this sort of escapade is about so much more than the results, at the heart of the rally is the spirit of adventure and endurance, a spirit that is prevailing against the increased complexity of this edition of the Badawi Trail. By the time we reach the finish this year’s group of adventurers will be a tight-knit community, bonded by the shared experiences of travelling through this wonderful place, an experience no doubt enhanced by the residents of the country that we will meet as we go. Nearly time then to fire up the engines, and follow in the footsteps of the Bedouins, as we head out on the Badawi Trail once again.