Jean-Pierre Strugo has been at the Dakar Rally 31 times since 1985. 2026 will be his 32nd, and likely his last as a racer.

Speaking with Le Parisien on December 30 before departing for Saudi Arabia, Strugo revealed the 2026 Rally “is my last one. I promised my wife.”

The 79-year-old was a regular in the Paris–Dakar’s production categories before becoming a factory Mitsubishi driver and racing for Mercedes and BMW.

Since 2015, he’s been doing Dakar in an MD Optimus. However, he decided at the last minute to not race the 2025 edition as he wanted to spend the new year with his family back home. Strugo was still involved with the race during this time as an analyst for tv78. Pierre Lachaume took over his ride and finished 15th in Ultimate.

Thus, as he reassured his wife Marie, 2026 will be his last. Still, Strugo officially considers himself “semi-retired” and considers himself “lucky” that “at almost 80, I am able to compete in the Dakar.”

He and navigator Kevin Morel are once again in an MD Optimus.

Featured image credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI / ASO