Alexis Varagne plans to chase the World Rally-Raid Championship in 2026 on his Yamaha Raptor 700. While the Quad class can’t do every race since it’s no longer part of the season-opening Dakar Rally, he’ll simply replace that slot with the Africa Eco Race. If anything, this arrangement is better since it’s a race that ends in his home country of Senegal.

Varagne made his W2RC debut at the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal in September, where he overcame an engine issue halfway to finish third in Quad. After a calendar shuffle, Portugal will be the first W2RC race for Quads in 2026 in March. They will also appear at the remaining three rounds in the Desafío Ruta 40, Rallye du Maroc (which dropped the category for 2025 but brought it back under new management afterward), and Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

Outside of the W2RC, Varagne ran the Carta Rallye and Hellas Rally Raid. He won his class at the former and was third in the latter.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect to have such a successful season and win all these trophies at all, much less finish third in the World Championship,” Varagne remarked in an interview with Christophe Cavens of Africa Race Mémories. “It was incredible. After starting my season with two amateur rally raids, the Carta Rally and the Hellas Rally, I wanted to tackle the World Championship and take on the best riders to see what I was capable of. I surprised myself. Even by participating in just one round of the championship this season, I realized all the potential I had.

“Thus, my desire next season is to compete in the full championship. For my first season as a rally rider, I have a very positive assessment and plan to come back stronger next season.”

Of course, he can’t run all five races since the ASO dropped the quads in 2025. While not a W2RC round, the Africa Eco Race takes place a week after Dakar and follows the latter’s old route from Europe to the Senegalese capital.

Varagne has lived in Senegal since he was 11, and followed the Paris–Dakar in his youth. While the Dakar no longer finishes in Dakar, the AER was formed to take its place and Varagne makes the effort to see the finishers on Lac Rose for the past four years.

“I’ve dreamed of doing it for a long time,” he continued. “As an official rider for the (Fédération Sénégalaise de Sport Automobile et Motocycliste), being able to represent my country is an incredible feeling.”

His main goals are to reach the finish and “represent my country as best as I can. It’s a race that will greatly test our mental and physical endurance.”

Featured image credit: Irina Petrichei / Edophoto / DPPI / ASO