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Abaja, orbaja rally, is amotorsport event conducted using various types of vehicles. Along with the similarrally raids and marathon rally raids, the three event types are collectively considered as types ofcross-country rallies by the international governing body for automobile sport, theFédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).[1]
In motorcycle sport, theFédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) define baja as events featuring racing,[2] however in practice, FIM motorcycle bajas are run similarly to other cross-country rallies. An unaffiliated motorcycle sport organisation, Baja Rally LLC, owns the "Baja Rally" trademark and organises a series of three events in Mexico without recognising any other sporting authority.[3][4]
Unlikerally raids, which have origins in cross-continental expeditions organised by Europeans, bajas have origins in theoff-road races held on theBaja California peninsula ofMexico. These were first organised in the 1960s byNational Off-Road Racing Association (NORRA), and laterSCORE International, both organisations based in the United States which had no international governing body affiliation. These races held on open terrain do not fall within the FIA's regulations of motorsport, however since 2010, NORRA has been organising cross-country rally events within the FIA regulations, by using rally itineraries with competitive sections and liaisons.
The route of a typical baja has a competitive length of 200 to 600 kilometres and the event can last from one to four days. Whereas as a marathon rally raid was historically a point-to-point event, bajas are more likely to be a loop.
TheBaja Aragón is an example of a cross-country baja with theBaja Russia Northern Forest taking place entirely in snow.
The FIA organise theWorld Baja Cup,European Baja Cup andMiddle East Baja Cup.[5] The regulations are similar to the FIA Rally Raid cups and championships, howeverGroup T5 trucks cannot score in the FIA baja cups.
FIM award titles in theBajas World Cup, which features the same events as appears in the calendars of the FIA cups.
Similar to in rally raid, FIA baja cups permit vehicles from Groups T1 to T4, however individual events may permit more categories of vehicles, such as dune buggies, all terrain vehicles etc. Group T5 trucks that historically serviced other competing vehicles on marathon rally raids are not permitted.
Cars are vehicles weighing less than 3,500 kg (7,716 lb) and subdivided into several classes. Group T1 is made up of Prototype Cross-Country Cars and is subdivided into four primary classes: T1.U, T1.1, T1.2, and T1.3.T1.U (T1 Ultimate) is a recent category built exclusively for vehicles running on renewable energies; such as theAudi RS Q e-tron.T1.1 (4x4) andT1.2 (4x2) are open to vehicles running on petrol and diesel fuels; including theMini John Cooper Works Buggy,Toyota Hilux, andPeugeot 3008 DKR. SubclassT1.3 is open to vehicles conforming toSCORE regulations. This includes theHummer H3 buggy and various other buggies.
Group T2 is open to Series Production Cross-Country Cars; primarily theToyota Land Cruiser andNissan Patrol.
Other prominent examples in the Car Class included theMitsubishi Pajero/Montero, theVolkswagen Race Touareg, theBowler Wildcat 200, theMini All4 Racing and theNissan Navara.
While originally a sub-class under the car category and later a combined class; the T3 and T4 classes have been recently separated into their own respective categories.
Group T3 vehicles are officially described as Lightweight Prototype Cross-Country Vehicles and can include purpose-built machines such as theRed Bull OT3 andPH-Sport Zephyr while also allowing modified variations of vehicles built and sold byPolaris,Kawasaki,Yamaha, andCan-Am. Group T4 is for Modified Production Cross-Country Side-by-Side (SSV) vehicles; such as those built byPolaris andCan-Am, but built closer to production standards.
Both categories must weigh no more than 3500 kg and are eligible for their own respective FIA World Cups.
