2025 will be the fourth year that Russian and Belarusian racers are barred from international competition under FIA sanction unless they agreed to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, Sergei Kariakin feels there is a “realistic prospect” of a 2026 Dakar Rally run after speaking with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

He had attempted to reach out to Sulayem about the restriction before, writing him a letter in October 2022 that went unanswered. At a TASS press conference in Yekaterinburg earlier this month, he said he was able to have a conversation with Sulayem, who “promised that next year he would look into the situation.”

The FIA’s current policy stipulates drivers from Russia and allied Belarus cannot compete in international events without opposing the war, and in turn would still be prohibited from using their nation’s emblems. Some have done so like Dakar competitors Denis Krotov and Konstantin Zhiltsov, who respectively race under Kyrgyzstani and neutral flags, while others such as Kariakin refused and were thus limited to competing in their home countries.

Kariakin is a staunch supporter of Russian president Vladimir Putin, serving in Sverdlovsk’s regional assembly as a deputy of the pro-Putin United Russia party. Over the summer, his SNAG Racing team sold a buggy to the Sverdlovsk government to be used by Russian forces in Ukraine. Naturally, this meant the chances of him acquiescing to the FIA’s terms were slim to none.

In January, he returned to international action by competing in the Abu Dhabi Baja Challenge with his usual license from Russian Automobile Federation. Although the series is sanctioned by the Emirates Motorsports Organization, an FIA member club, the Russia policy was very loosely enforced (if at all) such that Kariakin went on to establish “relationships with the Motorsport Federation and the Minister of Sports of the Emirates.” His presence prompted Vadim Pritulyak, a Ukrainian and Dakar veteran, to boycott a race; they eventually competed against each other without incident at the Dubai International Baja in mid-November.

Although Dubai was the final round of the 2024 FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups, therefore meaning an increased presence by the federation, Kariakin was able to race in the non-FIA National class. He was not the only Russian in the field either as SNAG colleague Alexey Shmottev and Sergei Remennik also took part.

“There were new restrictions implemented just a week before the race, but we managed to overcome them,” said Kariakin. “The most important thing was being able to compete.”

Even if the FIA eventually lifted the ban, EU sanctions would still prevent Kariakin from bringing his car to Europe for vehicle inspection before they’re shipped to Saudi Arabia for the Dakar. Such a predicament befell MAZ-SPORTauto before the 2022 edition: although the race took place before the invasion, parent company Minsk Automobile Plant was under sanction related to the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, forcing the truck team to turn back.

This is where Kariakin’s newfound friendship with the UAE comes into play. Rather than competing as SNAG Racing, he would enter the Dakar with the Dubai-based Big Red Racing, a subsidiary of Big Red Adventure Tours.

“This would significantly reduce logistical costs and time and certainly opens new horizons for the team’s development because so many clients have abandoned us,” he continued. “We used to sell chassis and spare parts all over the world, but now, a lot of people are wary of buying something made in Russia. So, if a Russian company makes these products in the Emirates, we can somewhat bypass sanctions and sell products to teams globally.”

In the meantime, SNAG Racing will focus on the Russian Rally-Raid Championship and particularly the Silk Way Rally that runs through Russia and Mongolia. Kariakin has also expressed interest in the Taklimakan Rally in China, though he was not allowed to compete there despite the country being friendly with Russia, and potentially the new South Africa Safari Rally on the World Rally-Raid Championship if the FIA permits.

Kariakin won the Dakar Rally in the Quad class in 2017 before switching to an SSV.

Featured image credit: SNAG Racing