Sand, engines, sweat… and a challenge for every kind of machine.
Whether you're a seasoned racer, an adventurer chasing the ultimate challenge, or a fan of mechanical history, there's a category built for you at the Africa Eco Race. On the track, everyone finds their own path, but everyone shares the same destination: Lac Rose, Dakar.
- 🏍️ BIKE
Bike: The essence of rally-raid.
Riders embody the original spirit of African adventure. Completely self-reliant on the continent's toughest tracks, they must combine roadbook navigation, physical endurance and mechanical know-how.
🔹 Open to single- and twin-cylinder bikes, as well as electric bikes
🔹 Assistance is allowed, but every rider faces the challenge alone.
Group — technical category
1 · Single-cylinder450 cc2 · Single-cylinder> 451 cc3 · Multi-cylinder> 300 – < 649 cc4 · Multi-cylinder> 650 – < 999 cc5 · Multi-cylinder> 1000 cc6 · Electric ⚡New categoryClasses — stackable
Women Junior (under 25) Veteran (45+) Malle Moto – Motul Xtreme Rider Rookie Rider Experimental🛡️ Motul Xtreme Rider Bike — Adventure in its rawest formThe extreme competition within the competition, for riders ready to face anything with no outside assistance. Just you and your bike. Total immersion in adventure and sporting achievement.
- 🏁 QUAD
Group
Group G2x4Group H4x4
- 🚛 TRUCK
The giants of rally-raid, 100% built for competition
The Africa Eco Race's racing truck category is a concentrate of power, endurance and strategy. Here, there's no assistance role for other competitors: these giants are entered purely to race, with their own ranking, their own trophies… and one clear ambition: to win.
Trucks built for performance:
4x4 / 6x6 all-wheel drive Long-range fuel tanks (600 km+) Reinforced cabs, 6-point harnesses Extreme suspensionThese aren't assistance trucks. They're genuine racing prototypes, capable of tackling the worst terrain at impressive speed.
A crew of 2 to 3:
Driver — master of the machine Co-driver — navigation Onboard mechanic (sometimes)Spectacular, powerful, demanding — racing trucks are a historic pillar of rally-raid. At the Africa Eco Race, they belong front and centre, not as support, but as leaders of their own adventure.
Group and class
Truck (T5)T5.1 T5.2
- 🏎️ CAR
The ultimate technical challenge.
In this category, 4x4s, buggies and off-road vehicles specially prepared for long distances go head to head. Navigation, pacing, crew teamwork and mechanical reliability are the keys to success.
📸 Matteo Longobardi / Alessio Corradini
🧭 An indispensable co-driver to decode the roadbooks and tame Africa's traps.
🔧 Assistance allowed, with numerous technical classes depending on the vehicle.
Group and class
Ultimate (T1)T1 + T1.1 T1.2
Stock (T2)T2
OpenOpen.U Open
FIA nomenclature / Appendix J 2026, in force for the 2027 edition (replaces the former T1.1–T1.5, T2.1/T2.2 and EXP groups).
- 🚙 SSV
Agility in the service of performance.
SSVs (Side-by-Side Vehicles) are small, nimble, high-strung machines, hugely popular in the dunes and technical sections. This category draws plenty of newcomers as well as former riders making the switch.
SSV types (see the regulations for more information)
Challenger (T3) — light, agile, built for speed SSV (T4) — sturdier, modified production vehicles SSV Series — production-based, light modificationsGroup and classes
Challenger (T3)T3.U T3.1
SSV (T4)T4
SSV Series1 — Naturally aspirated < 1000 cc2 — Naturally aspirated ≥ 1000 and < 2050 cc3 — Turbo (any displacement)
- 🏆 HISTORIC
The return of the legends.
Legends never die. This category pays tribute to the early days of the African rally, welcoming historic cars and trucks from the epic adventures of the 1970s through to 2007.
More than a race — a celebration of the golden age of the original Dakar.
🔎 Collector vehicles, prepared to today's safety standards while keeping their period character.
Generation and group
Generation 1 · 1970–19862x4 4x4
Generation 2 · 1987–19962x4 4x4
Generation 3 · 1997–20072x4 4x4
Generation SCORE · up to 2007
(SCORE USA compliant)2x4 4x4
Generation TRUCK · 1970–2007All-wheel drive (4x4 and up)
- 🧭 RAID EVOLUTION
Adventure with a sportier approach.
Want to live the legend of the African rally, following in the race's tracks, without entering pure competition? Raid Evolution is for you.
Raid Evolution is for those who want to experience the rally-raid adventure with a sportier approach, without entering pure competition. Participants follow in the Africa Eco Race's tracks, discovering roadbook navigation, African tracks and the spirit of the bivouac, all within a framework designed to help them progress and push themselves. It's the ideal stepping stone to taste the thrill of rally-raid before taking the leap into racing.
📚 Perfect for a first experience or as preparation for a future competitive entry ➡️ Vehicles allowed: 4x4s, trucks, bikes, cars…
- 🌍 RAID TRAVEL
Adventure without the pressure of the clock.
Want to live the legend of the African rally through the same breathtaking landscapes, but at your own pace and in complete comfort? Raid Travel is for you.
Raid Travel is designed for adventure lovers who want to discover the Africa Eco Race differently, in a more accessible, travel-oriented format. On the programme: wide open spaces, legendary tracks, African landscapes and full immersion in the rally's unique atmosphere, without the pressure of performance. A human, eye-opening experience — the ideal way to live the rally-raid legend at your own pace.
📚 Ideal for a first taste of the rally-raid world, with no time pressure ➡️ Vehicles allowed: 4x4s, trucks, bikes, cars…
