Enduro21 is reporting that the 2027 Dakar Rally will move from Saudi Arabia to Europe and North Africa, returning to its heartland with a full two-week format, in the face of growing security concerns in the Middle East.
The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) has made contact with teams to confirm that the upcoming rally raid will start in Europe before crossing to Africa by ferry, bringing the event back to the continent for the first time in almost two decades.
In a marked departure from the usual New Year’s Day start, the prologue is scheduled for roughly a week later on January 9, with the finish on January 22. The revised event will feature 12 stages, a rest day and a demanding marathon stage, with roughly 4900 kilometres of total route planned.
The final details, including the European start and the African start and finish locations, are still awaiting official confirmation.
Spain or Portugal are being considered for the opening prologue, while the Moroccan route is understood to have been finalised – though final confirmation from ASO has not validated this.
The move follows weeks of uncertainty over whether the Dakar could safely take place in Saudi Arabia, where the escalating conflict involving Yemen's Houthi rebels has raised concerns over the safety of competitors, teams and spectators.
As I understand it...and as pointed out in your post...
This year's Dakar was moved out of Saudi due to the ongoing conflict/shit disturbance in the region...and their main airport being bombed doesn't help, either.
So, this year's Dakar is in Moroocco. The Teams have been advised and logistical changes have already been made. The "European Start" sounds like it's still just a "maybe" due to the shit going on over there, too.
Unbelievable that they can relocate this whole event in, what, 12 weeks? The logistics of just running it are mind-blowing enough.
Oh yeah. That's a major safety upgrade moving the race to remote areas of North Africa. Probably no AK-47 armed smugglers with nothing to lose there...
Yup...but...to be fair...
The organizers have people that have been keeping tabs on the region for months due to IRGC/Houthi disturbances in SA...actually, for quite a few months.
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When numerous big teams tell the ASO we aren't racing in KSA no matter what for 2027, this is what happens.
Rally du Maroc just got done, so ASO was already on the ground in country for that rally. Morroco will be a busy place with the Africa Eco Rally starting immediately after the ASO/Dakar event.
Would be cool if they moved it around a bit, lots of desert in the USA, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Australia, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, India, etc.
The racing was better before the middle east anyway, its just a yo yo now. The guy that leads out makes a track for the rest to follow, too much sand = no good.
Ya... they moved it out of Africa for safety reasons... and are now moving again for the same reason...
Lots of deserts out there without the need to worry about being shot at or kidnapped...
The biggest single challenge is moving from country to country, like they did when it was in South America. It's a huge logistical pain in the butt to exit and enter countries, but with Saudi Arabia they were able to completely contain it within the borders. Australia is definitely large enough, but I'm not sure about their geography in terms of a true rally raid with dunes, etc. (happy to be proven completely wrong about this - Australia is awesome, but it seems like a lot of it is flat). China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, India are all super interesting....
Australia has some epic deserts, would be awesome for a rally!
From what Preston told me a couple of days ago this is pretty much a done deal now. And most of the teams are excited about it even from a logistical side of them being closer already. He was just in Morocco a couple of weeks ago for the rally so he’s also more excited about racing from Morocco to Spain vs the African desert.
That is such great news.
Being the stubborn sod that i am , i decided i was done with the whole thing when it went to Saudi, it stopped being an adventure, and lost its purpose.
Look forward to seeing how it goes.
Based on how things are in France, their biggest security threat is likely in Europe 😂
They can move a 4000 - 5000km off road race with hundreds of competitors and multi millions invested in a matter of months yet MXSports finds it impossible to hold an outdoor national in the southeast, Texas, or Glen Helen year after year.
Yeah.. that's like uncharted territory and Rallye du Maroc does not already take place yearly there...
Australian Great Sandy Desert includes camels!
This hasnt been a last minute decision, i would imagine they have been looking at the possibility of this for a long time and have had the route up their sleeves. It might give it a new lease of life.
Routes likely to be largely copied from the recent Rally du Maroc, as the road books will exist?
Suspect it will be a (relative) sprint race.
Pit Row
I dont know, but would expect not.
Rally Du Maroc just runs loops out of the same place, pretty much and is only a short event.
Whatever they do, it will be decent.
The Reuters news organization is reporting the Dakar Rally will move from Saudi Arabia in 2027
https://www.reuters.com/sports/dakar-rally-2027-will-move-saudi-arabia-africa-sources-say-2026-10-21/
This is cool. I love this rally but, as others have said, it's become too dependent on strategy and starting order. A rally in Mongolia would be EPIC but, just throwing this out there, 2028.....
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Hope so, Phil.
Crazy to think FIA was planning on keep these events in Saudi even with all the attacks.
They were trying to keep the World Rally Championship event there but Toyota and Hyundai put out traveling restrictions for their employees to those regions due to safety concern - then FIA cancelled the event. Toyota is also in Dakar with this ban. Ford, RenaultGroup were to join the restrictions according to some sources. (Im not sure how the bike's brands were about this, only the cars)
Every company has a duty of care to their employees... as soon as one of these 'do not travel' things comes out, no amount of ' it will be ok' can force people to go there.
I think the organizers wanted to be able to move it around the globe and keep the Dakar spirit. You're correct, conflict was why it left North Africa. Even the cartel respects the Baja Race for the most part.
Dakar 2027 is cancelled due to the unstable situation in Saudi Arabian
just saw it on the news
https://www.gpblog.com/en/general/2027-saudi-arabia-dakar-race-cancelle…
Did North Africa get safer or did Saudi just pass North Africa danger wise?
Pretty poor journalism really to call it 'cancelled' but the only piece of relevant information is this quote.
Dakar 2027 will go ahead. The 2027 edition will take place in a different territory and will be organised by A.S.O. The location will be announced separately in the coming days. A.S.O. is in direct contact with competitors, teams and partners to support them through this transition
they looking for a new location to keep the 2027 rally alive, but in just 2 months it's quite a challenge
Already announced as Spain start, then mostly in Morocco.
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