History 2000s

2008 Jordan Rally (Jordan)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2008 Jordan Rally (Jordan)

Date: April 24–27, 2008

Start Location: Dead Sea Resort Area, Jordan

Finish Location: Dead Sea Resort Area, Jordan

Total Distance: ~983.44 km

Competitive Stages: 359.26 km

Surface: Gravel (desert hard-pack)

Jordan made its WRC debut with stages unlike anything else on the calendar — hard-packed desert gravel, vast open plains, and the lowest altitude rally in the world. Hirvonen adapted brilliantly to the extreme heat and relentless grip changes, controlling his pace to perfection against Loeb’s persistent challenge.

Route

Suwayma: Fast, smooth desert stage with minimal shade — punishing on both car and driver.
Bahath: Characterized by long straights and sweeping bends, where maintaining momentum was key.
Jordan River: Twisty, narrow, and technical, contrasting with the open expanses elsewhere.

The rally featured flowing, open desert tracks with little margin for error and few natural landmarks. Standout stages included:

High temperatures and abrasive surfaces pushed tire durability and engine cooling systems to their limits.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Mikko Hirvonen & Jarmo Lehtinen · Ford Focus RS WRC 07
2nd Place
Sébastien Loeb & Daniel Elena · Citroën C4 WRC
3rd Place
Dani Sordo & Marc Martí · Citroën C4 WRC

Hirvonen’s consistency in the desert heat gave him the edge, with Loeb just seconds behind after three days of flat-out competition. Sordo capitalized on others’ mistakes to secure third.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Desert Navigation: Few landmarks meant co-driver pace notes had to be spot-on — a single missed call could lead to disaster.
  • Extreme Heat: Cockpit temperatures soared, testing driver stamina and focus.
  • Abrasive Gravel: Tires degraded faster than on typical gravel rallies, forcing strategic tire management.

Hirvonen’s calculated approach and ability to read the desert stages secured him a historic victory in the WRC’s first Middle Eastern gravel challenge.

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