The ASO’s ban on national flag decals on Dakar Rally-competing vehicles will remain in place for 2026.

Article 6.3 of the 2026 Dakar Rally’s FIA supplementary regulations and Article 6.1.1 of its FIM counterpart remain untouched. The former states that in “derivation from Art. 21.1 – 2026 FIA CCRSR, no national flag is allowed beside the Driver’s and Navigator’s initials and surnames on competition and service vehicles,” while the latter flatly says “no flags are allowed on the vehicle and Rider’s”.

The policy was added for the 2024 race and has continued since. The organizers never gave a reason for the ban, though many assume it’s for safety reasons by not wanting a competitor to be targeted for their nationality, especially considering the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Dakar host country Saudi Arabia is neutral regarding both conflicts, though the ASO would prefer to be safe than sorry.

This ban only applies to the Dakar Rally and not the other four races on the World Rally-Raid Championship schedule or the Baja Cups. Article 21.1 of the FIA Cross-Country Rally Sporting Regulations even notes that national flags are to be included alongside the names of the driver and navigator.

With three years of the rule by now, most teams have gotten used to simply not including the flag on their rides. If they forget, they can cover it up with a marker or another sticker.

Violators are fined €500. Only one infraction has happened since its introduction: during Stage 9 of the 2024 race, truck driver Marco Piana received because the decal with his name on it also had the French flag and he forgot to separate them.

Featured image credit: Florent Gooden / DPPI / ASO