The 1200-metre rallycross track, which has been constructed over the winter ahead of hosting the World RX season opener next month, is located in the stadium section of the UAE venue, and has a mix of 63% asphalt and 37% loose surface sections.

The start line for the rallycross circuit is on the grand prix track between Turn 4 and Turn 5, and will follow the conventional layout through the Formula 1 circuit’s chicane and Turn 7 hairpin, before heading into the infield with a 90 degree left-hander, and into the first loose surface section, after a double-right hander.

The loop will return to the F1 circuit before the rallycross circuit’s first corner at the chicane, after the joker lap route has split off to the left and through a right-left chicane in the final sector.

“Yas Marina Circuit is always innovating when it comes to hosting thrilling motorsport races that attract fans and entertainment seekers to Abu Dhabi and FIA World Rallycross Championship is the latest in our portfolio of world-class events,” said Al Tareq Al Ameri, CEO of Yas Marina Circuit.

“Our new track and weekend-long itinerary of some of the wildest racing the Middle East has ever seen promises to deliver something unique to the circuit.”

Fourteen-time FIA Middle East Rally champion Mohammed ben Sulayem drove the first official lap of the circuit in a Set Promotion-run single-make Supercar Lites car at a media day on Sunday.

GRX Taneco drivers Niclas Gronholm, Timur Timerzyanov and Reinis Nitiss also undertook early running on the circuit with the Lites machine, while British driver Oliver Bennett drove his Xite Racing team’s Ford Fiesta Supercar.