A new and spectacular host country for the WRC, Jordan is also the first Arab nation to be invited to join the series. Jordan Rally is not a brand new event, however, as it has been a round of the Middle Eastern Rally Championship since the 1980's.

The rally is based 50km away from the Kingdom's capital city of Amman while its sandy, gravel stages are located around the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley areas. This is a rally of extremes. From scorching temperatures - which can top 40 degrees C - to the awesome desert landscape the stages snake through.

This event features an unusually wide range of altitude, not far short of the range experienced in Turkey and Monte Carlo. The highest stage will not go much above 1000 meters but the lowest goes down to minus 400 metres - and most of the stages are below sea level. The rally headquarters and service park are located at the lowest land point on earth.