Abu Dhabi: The prestigious UAE Desert Challenge Rally entered a new era on Tuesday with its name being changed to Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge with all its entity being staged across the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

This was disclosed in a press conference held at the Emirates Palace Hotel and was attended by Ahmad Hussein, the Deputy Director General of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) for Tourism Operations and Mohammad Bin Sulayem, the Chairman of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) and the Vice-President of FIA.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is the new partnership between the ADTA and the ATCUAE and will be the season opener of the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup and the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship. The inaugural event will run from March 22-27.