The South African Rally-Raid Championship has officially entered the digital age. On Tuesday, Motorsport South Africa announced electronic roadbooks will be mandatory going forward.

While paper roadbooks remain preferred by a sect of competitors, digitization has been the trend in recent years. SARRC in particular is mandating the switch to align with the World Rally-Raid Championship and Dakar Rally.

“The introduction of the digital roadbook for the 2026 season is a strategic step in the continued evolution of the SA Rally-Raid Championship,” said competitor relations officer Jaco Jonck. “Rally raid globally has moved toward digital navigation, and aligning now ensures that South Africa remains relevant, competitive and internationally connected.

“From a safety perspective, it reduces distraction and improves situational awareness in the cockpit. It also strengthens fairness and competitiveness through the standardised distribution and controlled release of navigation information. At the same time, it future-proofs the championship by adopting the technology direction of modern rally raid, while improving operational efficiency by streamlining organizer workflows and allowing us to adapt more quickly to unforeseen route changes.”

The roadbooks will be displayted on an Android-based device via the RBR Roadbook Reader system.

SARRC has arranged training sessions to help drivers and navigators figure out how the new systems work. The first class took place on Wednesday evening.

Printed roadbooks will still be available for the first two races as a fallback, such as if the electronic ones experience some sort of issue.

“The adoption of the RBR Electronic Roadbook is about strengthening the professionalism, safety and global standing of SA Rally Raid,” commented series CEO Archie Rutherford. “This transition aligns us directly with international best practice and ensures our competitors are equipped with the same tools used on the world stage.

“This change is designed to make race day simpler, safer and more consistent. With the support and training provided, most competitors will adapt very quickly. The long-term benefits to the sport and its competitors are significant.”

Featured image credit: Paulo Maria / DPPI / ASO