After racing the Dakar Rally in 2025 and 2026, Robbie Wallace won’t be back in 2027 as he’d like to take time off to unwind.

“I took the decision to not pursue an entry for this year and to give my body and mind a rest and reset after a non-stop two years of raising support and competing in the toughest event out there,” he explained. “The Dakar definitely takes it out of you and my injury picked up this year has only fully come right now.

“However, this hasn’t stopped the wheels turning on my motorbiking escapades and the Dakar may very well return sooner than you think.”

Wallace finished 74th in Rally2 at his Dakar debut in 2025 after missing a day of racing due to a back injury. Understandably, he was determined to complete every stage in 2026 and set a goal of finishing top 30.

Alas, he came up just narrowly short of that has he placed 32nd in class. Wallace crashed in Stage 7, hurting the nerves in his back and leaving him not at his best the rest of the way. A stomach bug further complicated matters, resulting in dehydration and weakness. Despite his condition, he was able to reach the finish. His efforts even earned him a letter of commendation from his MP and former British Prime Miniser Rishi Sunak.

With Dakar out of the picture, Wallace still has a “non-race event” planned for January. In between that, he will compete in the Qatar international Baja in October followed by the Morocco Desert Challege in April. The MDC was his first desert rally in 2019, while he finished 25th overall at the 2025 QIB.

Featured image credit: Edoardo Bauer / Edophoto / DPPI / ASO