Dakar Route Poster 2027
Portugal and Morocco to exceptionally host theDakar January Rally 2027
The 2027 Dakar Rally will take place in Portugal and Morocco, marking the event's return to Africa for the first time since 2007. The 49th edition will open the 2027 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, featuring a prologue and 12 stages from 9 to 23 January 2027. Competitors will cover a total distance of 7,824 km, including 4,341 km of competitive special stages.
Of interest to motorsport fans in Andalucia is the transfer stage (not race) on public roads on 10th January 2027 from Loulé-Faro to Algeciras Port. From here an overnight ferry to Nador Morocco and on 11th January 2027 aother transfer to Bouafra for the next to specail stages before the route to fininh in Marrakech on the 23 January.
Before 2008, when the rally was cancelled at the last minute as it was about to depart from Lisbon due to security concerns in Mauritania, the Dakar Rally took place in South America or Saudi Arabia. Security concerns in Saudi Arabia have required the organisers to come up with a quick backup plan, and Morocco is the answer. However, the race will not go south into Mauritania to reach its spiritual home, Dakar in Senegal.
Paris-Dakar Rally or Dakar in Andalucia - 1993 to 2007
The Paris-Dakar Rally used to attract large crowds of fans to Andalucia every year around New Year. Cars, motorbikes, quads and trucks competed for titles in this major media event as they travelled from Paris through Andalusia and on to North Africa. In fact, between 1993 and 2007, the Dakar Rally passed through Andalucia 12 times. It did not pass through in 1997, 2000 or 2003. For those who remember standing roadside or on an over bridge watching and waving to the bikes, cars and trucks on their way through, here is a record of each year.
Although the route changes every year, the first few days of the rally always head south, often travelling through Andalucia before crossing to Africa from Algeciras, Málaga or Motril. Although these first few days were not actually a race, with the organisers referring to them as 'liaison' stages, the crowds still gathered by the roadside to cheer on the competitors.
Since its inception in 1978, the Paris-Dakar Rally began in Paris and crossed from France to Algeria or Libya in North Africa en route to Dakar in Senegal. In some years, the starting point was changed from Paris. In 1992, the route was extended to include Cape Town. In 1992, the route was reversed, becoming Paris–Dakar–Paris.
In 1993 and 1994, the race returned to its traditional route but out and return and the return route was via Motril and Granada, where motorsport fans and onlookers lined the roads and bridges to watch the rally pass by. Although these transfer sections on public roads were not races, they had to be completed to secure a place.
In 1995, for the first time in the rally's history, the race did not depart from France in 1995, but from Granada instead. This shortened the long road transfer section across Europe. Hubert Auriol became the race manager on the ground. The drivers' meeting was held the night before the start in the packed Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Granada, and stage one was a special trail circuit inside the Armilla air force base. Large crowds turned out to support the drivers. The Andalucia.com team covered the event, including a report on their predecessor website, Tizz.com.
In 1996, Same route, more competitors, the rally started in Granada again. On Sunday afternoon, all the super rally cars lined up in the city centre, and crowds came out in force to take a close look. We joined them and were surprised to see an old yellow Land Rover belonging to an amateur team from the UK. We took photos and wished them well. They transmitted those photos to the UK press, but as far as we know, they were not published. We helped their PR agency raise funds for their team mechanic, who did not have a support vehicle to travel overland, including by iron ore train from Nouadhibou to Zouérate in Mauritania. He did this, but unfortunately the Land Rover broke down beyond repair just afterwards. The rally was the third triumph for Pierre Lartigue and a fourth for Edi Orioli, whose names are now inscribed in the "Dakar Pantheon".
In 1997, for the first time, the race began in Dakar. It was a Dakar-Dakar loop, featuring a return to Niger and the legendary Ténéré Desert. Ken Shinozuka of Japan drove to victory in the car class. Jutta Kleinschmidt finished fifth, becoming the first woman to win a stage in the Dakar. She said, "All the drivers, from every team, came to hug me and congratulate me. At that moment, in addition to immense joy, I felt an enormous sense of camaraderie. The Dakar is great!' (Jutta Kleinschmidt).
In 1998 the Dakar celebrated its 20th anniversary! The race started in Paris, crossed Spain — including Granada and Motril — and finished in Dakar. With numerous dune crossings, digging out and sand removal were the order of the day for this edition. Jean-Pierre Fontenay won the car category, achieving his first Dakar victory, and Stéphane Peterhansel won the motorcycle category.
In 1999, the city of Granada witnessed its third departure. After a short prologue stage on New Year's Eve 1998, the race began in earnest on 1 January 1999 with Stage 1; Granada to Rabat. Two builders secured victory on new dates: BMW won the motorcycle class with Richard Sainct, 14 years after Gaston Rahier, and Renault won the car class with Jean-Louis Schlesser, 17 years after the Marreau brothers. Stéphane Peterhansel, a six-time winner on a motorcycle, switched to a car.
In 2000 the route was a surprise: for the first time, the rally crossed Africa from west to east, from Dakar to Cairo.
In 2001 edition was inspired by the wish to emphasize the core values of the Dakar rally. Many changes were in the air, particularly the decision to reduce the amount of airborne assistance (mechanics) by favoring assistance vehicles. The stage three was from Castellon de la Plana to Almeria where an overnight ferry was borded to Nador. A woman finished the race on top for the first time: Jutta Kleinschmidt in a Mitsubishi.
In 2002 started in Arras, France. Stage 4 was a tough 961 km Madrid to Rabat.
In 2003 an atypical route for the 25th anniversary of the Dakar, with a start in Marseille and a finish in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.
In 2004 Clermont-Ferrand to Dakar, marked the return to a 'traditional route' that was at the same time very demanding. Between Morocco and Senegal, via Mali, Mauritania and Burkina-Faso. Stage 4 was the tough 865 km from Castellon de la Plana to Tanger, following the A-7 and N-340 crossing at Algeciras.
In 2005, the race started in Barcelona with a trial on New Year's Eve, followed by a 920 km liaison stage to Granada on New Year's Day. Stage 2 was from Granada to Rabat, covering 573 km, and started with a 10 km special race on a specially prepared circuit inside the Armilla military base. Crossing via Algeciras.
In 2006, the race started in Lisbon. On New Year's Day, Stage 2 covered 567 km from Portimão to Málaga, to catch the overnight ferry to Nador. Sadly. Andrew David Caldecott (10 August 1964 – 9 January 2006) was a motorcycle off-roader born in Keith, South Australia. He won the third stage of the 2006 Dakar Rally, but later died from a neck injury sustained in a crash during the ninth stage, a 599 km special stage from Nouakchott to Kiffa. This was the 23rd death in the rally's 28-year history. Photo of Andy in Malaga
If you realy wan to know what it is like to take part as as an amateur rider in the Dakar - Race to Dakar is a 7 part documentary series following actor and keen motorcyclist Charley Boorman's entry into the 2006 Dakar Rally. First aired on Sky2 and ABC Television (Australia) during 2006, it was also released as a book. Watch on You Tube.
In 2007, the race started in Lisbon again. On 7th January, Stage 2 covered 567 km from Portimão to Málaga, to catch the overnight ferry to Nador.
Dakar route 2008
Sadly, after four French tourists were murdered in Mauritania in December 2007, the Lisbon start event scheduled for January 2008 was cancelled the day before it was due to begin. Following the tragedy and direct terrorist threats against future rallies, the organisers looked for a new venue.
Since January 2009, the renmed 'Dakar Rally' has taken place in South America, generally starting and leaving from Buenos Aires, Argentina in a 9,000 kilometre loop. According to those in charge, the chosen course offered all the same challenges and types of terrain that participants enjoyed on the traditional route.
The rally has been held in Saudi Arabia since 2020 and since 2022, the rally has been the season-opening round of the World Rally-Raid Championship jointly sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme.
Plymouth - Dakar Challenge
As the Paris - Dakar grew it became increasing expensive for Amatuers to take part. Read abovve about the UK Landrover in 1996 and Charlie Boardman in 2006. The idea was that it would be posible to take a old saloon car of value 100 pounds and drive it south including a two day off road stretch accross the Sahara desert from Nouadhibou to Nouakchott. In 2003 the Plymouth - Dakar Challenge was borne. Andalucia.com supported a car alongside the rally in 2004 and 2005. Starting from Sotogrande on 2nd January 2004 and reaching Dakar on 10th January 2004. The car was a Mercedes 300 (1989) with a straight 6 cylinder diesel engine. This was relative luxury compared to most of the vehicles in the rally. Here are some photos of the journey.