The 2027 Dakar Rally will not take place in Saudi Arabia as planned, the organization has announced. The decision was made by Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) and Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC), which confirmed the location change due to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East region.
In an official statement, ASO and SMC stated that the rally, which has been held annually in Saudi Arabia since 2020, will need to be relocated to ensure its accomplishment. Despite this change, the 2027 edition will still take place between January 1 and 15, with a new site to be announced in the coming days.
The new location is expected to be in Morocco, a return to the African continent that has been the true home of the Dakar for most of its history. Additionally, there is a possibility of staging the prologue in countries like Portugal or Spain before crossing the Alboran Strait.
The statement also indicated that the decision to move the race is exceptional and that the organization has maintained close coordination with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), as well as the support of the FIA and the FIM. The 2027 Dakar will occur in a new territory, and the final location will be announced soon.
With this relocation, it is emphasized that this is not expected to be a common practice, as the Dakar will return to Saudi Arabia in 2028 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the race. The first Dakar took place in 1978, with a route from Paris to Dakar, the capital of Senegal.
Since the race moved to Saudi Arabia, numerous motorsport events have been affected by the country’s situation, especially after recently recorded attacks on key infrastructures. However, competitions such as Formula 1 and MotoGP continue to be scheduled for the region, with Qatar as the meeting point for both.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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