--- title: "Dakar Rally Returns Home to Europe-Africa as Saudi Arabia Suddenly Seems Less Safe" date: "2026-10-30" modified: "2026-10-30" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/dakar-rally-returns-home-to-europe-africa-as-saudi-arabia-suddenly-seems-less-safe" categories: - "News" - "Racing" --- # Dakar Rally Returns Home to Europe-Africa as Saudi Arabia Suddenly Seems Less Safe ![504 PRICE Sara (usa), BERRIMAN Sean (usa), Defender Rally, Defender, Stock, FIA W2RC, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar 2026, on January 8, 2026 between Bivouac Refuge and Haïl, Saudi Arabia]() *\A.S.O./F.Le Floc'h/DPPI via Defender\* The 2027 [Dakar Rally]() will race from Portugal to Morocco, somewhat recalling the race's original route from Paris, Europe, to Dakar, Africa. Not quite the same in most ways, but at least the right geographic locations are there. However, the new route isn't happening because of the race's roots or for nostalgia, but because the Middle East is too unsafe right now to welcome the traveling circus and everything that comes with it. Racers will set off from Algarve Stadium in the coastal city of Faro, Portugal, on January 9 and will land on African soil two days later, on Jan. 11. It will then continue through the continent until it finishes in the ancient city of Marrakech, Morocco, on Jan. 23. https://www.instagram.com/p/DfG_zHxIBVF/ The route for the 49th edition of the off-road race will stop at six bivouacs along the 4,862-mile route, including 2,697 miles of special stages, according to the Dakar's press release. Last year I had the pleasure of [attending a segment of the Dakar in Saudi Arabia](), and although I'd followed it on TV for a decade, I appreciated just how otherworldly it is. The racers, the fans, the surroundings- it felt like a race on Mars. And off-roading for [1,000 miles across the kingdom]() in a Land Rover Defender was even more so. I don't doubt the 2027 edition will be just as awesome; after all, both Portugal and Morocco aren't new to hosting rally events. *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]() ## More - [Formula 1-Inspired Infiniti Q60 Black S Rumored to Be on Its Way to Production]() - [Learn What Makes Chris Forsberg Drift]() - [Rally Driver Amy Lerner Will Race Vintage Porsche 911 3.0L SC at the 2021 Dakar]() - [Behold the Porsche 959 Family That Dominated the Dakar Rally]() - [WEC Pro Drivers Are Mad About New FIA Regulation Requiring More Amateurs]() - [The NASCAR Cup Series Might Run Its First Dirt Race in 50 Years Next Season: Report]() - [American Logan Sargeant Officially Secures Williams F1 Seat for 2023]() - [Daniel Ricciardo Says He Won’t Race in F1 Next Year]()