Dakar 2027 Plan Unveiled – Vanagas Reacts to Route

The 2027 Dakar Rally is set to embrace its heritage with a revamped route in Saudi Arabia, focusing on endurance, navigation, and speed across sandy terrains. This edition will commence and conclude at King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), a new location 100 km from the traditional Jeddah base. The organizers, led by David Castera, promise a "more demanding and longer" course, designed to test competitors rigorously after initial faster stages.

“

If I start, it will be my 15th Dakar. I notice that organizers, throughout all Saudi Arabian Dakar versions, are polishing the races and adding more special ingredients to make our lives less simple. 3 brand new speed sections are optimistic. Well, the record kilometers in the kingdom sounds more like a promotional trick to me. Anyway, Dakar was never easy. We'll see.

B. Vanagas, a seasoned Dakar participant and Lithuania's most frequent competitor, offers a unique perspective on the evolving route. While acknowledging the organizers' efforts to enhance the rally's challenge with new speed sections, he views the record-breaking mileage within the Kingdom as potentially a "promotional trick." Vanagas also astutely observes that the route's design appears influenced by current geopolitical and military realities. He points out that the course is deliberately positioned away from Iran, hugging the southwestern contours of the country, indicating a strategic consideration for regional sensitivities.

“

If you find even one stone, I will personally compensate you for the expenses.

Key highlights for 2027 include a "400% sand" stage in Hail, promising pure sand dunes and technical driving with a guarantee from Castera to compensate anyone who finds a stone. The "Wadi Labyrinth" stage will introduce participants to a new 450 km route through canyons and rock formations, while the "Marathon Stage" will feature 480 km of navigation challenges, culminating in a marathon bivouac at an unprecedented altitude of 2,300 meters in Al Baha.

“

Historically, no one knows the winner until this stage ends.

This focus on challenging navigation and extreme conditions, including the return of "Bivouac Refuge" stages where crews are left with minimal support, underscores Dakar's commitment to its demanding legacy. The organizers emphasize a gradual increase in difficulty, ensuring suspense until the final stage. From a Lithuanian perspective, Vanagas's commentary highlights the blend of extreme sport and subtle geopolitical maneuvering that defines modern endurance racing, offering insights often missed by broader international coverage.

“

As every year, we have planned a gradual increase in difficulty. Different paces and rhythms will ensure that the uncertainty remains until the very last stage in KAEC.