Sergei Kariakin is still not allowed to compete in World Rally-Raid Championship events unless he suddenly has a change of heart and condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but he’ll be at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge anyway. Instead of racing, he has partnered with MegaDrive Experience to provide fans with a “secret tour” that follows the rally route.

The tour costs USD$3,190 including lodging and meals. After arriving on February 23, Kariakin and participants will set out on the 24th, the same day as the ADDC’s Stage #2. From there, tourists will ride along the route each day until the finish on the 27th, when they head back to Abu Dhabi and can participate in the awards ceremony and dinner.

An advertisement from SNAG Racing reads:

We, as racers, were not allowed to compete in this race… But we do not give up! Instead, we have created an exclusive tour that will let us:

• Drive along the legendary championship track — Feel its turns and straights!
• Spend the night in bivouacs under the stars — Romance, campfire and racing stories.
• Meet world racing stars in person — Ask questions to those who know the track by heart!
• Limited to 9 people — An atmosphere of trust and thrill.

This is not just a trip: it is a deep dive into the heart of motorsport!

MegaDrive is an Emirati tour company that takes participants through the country’s deserts on the CFMOTO CFORCE 850 quad. It offers tours that range from single-day events to five-day expeditions.

Kariakin has not been involved with the W2RC since crashing out of the 2022 Dakar Rally, which took place a month before Russia launched its full-scale invasion. This prompted the FIA to implement a policy stipulating Russian and Belarusian drivers must condemn the war and not use their country’s insignia if they want to compete in races under the federation’s sanctions. Given his ties to Vladimir Putin and generally patriotic sentiments, Kariakin flatly rejected the terms and views them as discriminatory.

After mainly focusing on the Russian Rally-Raid Championship over the next two years, he returned to international competition at the Abu Dhabi Baja Challenge in January 2024. While the series is overseen by FIA member Emirates Motorsports Organization, enforcement of FIA policies is laxer and permitted him and his team to take part.

In November, Kariakin entered the Dubai International Baja. Although the FIA’s involvement is greater here since it is a leg on the World and Middle East Baja Cups, he was registered for the non-FIA National class where he finished second. At a press conference the following month, he said he was in talks with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem about potentially lifting the restrictions in time for the 2026 Dakar. Still, they remain in place for now. Kariakin has even suggested the UAE could be an avenue for his team to do business and bypass sanctions, including bringing equipment through the Emirates to get to Saudi Arabia for Dakar rather than heading to Europe.

Featured image credit: SNAG Racing