Erbil hosts Iraq’s first official off-road championship

Shafaq News – Erbil

Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, on Friday launched Iraq’s first nationwide off-road four-wheel-drive motorsport championship.

Marwan, a participant and organizer of the event, told Shafaq News that 48 vehicles took part in the championship, all of which were locally modified within the Kurdistan Region.

He noted that the championship aims to lay the groundwork for more professionally organized events and to place Kurdistan and Iraq among countries represented in international motorsport competitions, enabling local drivers to compete globally.

Competitor Azad explained that the competition focused on the extreme category, the most challenging class, which involves ascending very steep and rugged hills. He described the terrain as a major challenge but “a solid starting point for a first” edition, noting that only three vehicles had reached the summit without mechanical failures at the moment.