KUWAIT CITY — Competitors from eight countries were flagged away from the start of the 26th Kuwait International Rally at Kuwait Motor Town on Thursday evening.

After passing the mandatory scrutineering checks on Thursday morning, several of the leading drivers joined members of the local and regional media at a pre-event press conference before heading to the ceremonial start within the Kuwait Motor Town facility.

The country’s first international rally to be held since 2018 is is being organized by the Kuwait International Motorsport Club (KIMC) in cooperation with the Kuwait International Automobile Club (KIAC).

Friday’s stages have been revised and extended slightly from the original itinerary. Action gets under way with a 17.70km special, south of Kuwait City, and this precedes the first of two runs across the gravel tracks of a further pair of 20.65km and 20.73km stages.

After a return to Kuwait Motor Town for a regroup and service stop, the three specials will be repeated in the afternoon. — SG