Dakar 2027: 5,320 timed kilometres, a record for the Saudi era
The newsroomUpdated on October 3, 2026schedule5 minFrom 1 to 15 January 2027, the Dakar loops around King Abdullah Economic City: 13 stages, two marathon stages, a rest day in Bisha and more sand than ever.
Key point
The 2027 Dakar features 5,320 km of special stages out of 8,390 km in total: the longest timed distance since the race moved to Saudi Arabia.
The 2027 Dakar starts on 1 January and finishes on 15 January 2027, on a loop around King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) on the Red Sea coast. It is the 49th edition of the rally and the 8th in Saudi Arabia.
A longer, sandier route
Organiser A.S.O. has announced 5,320 timed kilometres out of 8,390 km in total: the longest special-stage distance since the Dakar moved to Saudi Arabia (4,903 km in 2025). The menu features a prologue and 13 stages, three of them entirely new, with more sand and fewer rocks.
- Rest day in Bisha on 9 January.
- Two marathon stages, including a night at a "refuge" bivouac with no assistance.
- Longest special: 515 km between Wadi Ad-Dawasir and Bisha.
The categories
On two wheels, the field is split into RallyGP, Rally2 and Original by Motul (unassisted). On four wheels: Ultimate (T1), Stock (T2), Challenger (T3), SSV (T4) and Trucks (T5). The Dakar Classic and the Mission 1000 new-energy challenge round out the programme.
A changing field
Dacia, winner in 2026 with Nasser Al-Attiyah and Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin, has announced it will not take the start in 2027. The entry list has not been published yet: we will break it down category by category as soon as it is released.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2027 Dakar?add
From 1 to 15 January 2027, in Saudi Arabia. It is the 49th edition of the rally and the 8th in Saudi Arabia.
Will quads be on the start line?add
No. The quad category has been scrapped since the 2025 edition.
Has the entry list been published?add
Not yet: as of 3 October 2026, A.S.O. had not released the entry list.
Sources
Written by the Karrazmotorsport newsroom, proofread before publication. For settings, always refer to your vehicle's manual. Our charter.
