With things in the Middle East continuing to spiral out of control, everyone is understandably going to wonder what’ll happen to January’s Dakar Rally. Rather than continue speculating, Dakar Classic team TimeOut Racing reached out to the ASO for a concrete statement and got one on Tuesday.

“We understand your questions and they are legitimate. However, the rumors regarding a possible cancellation are unfounded,” the organizers explained.

“The organization of Dakar 2027 is progressing as planned, and we are working as usual with our Saudi partners. We are, of course, following the situation closely and will communicate shortly to provide you with the necessary information.”

Saudi Arabia is an ally of the United States who has been targeted by Iranian drones and missiles at various times since the war began in February. The kingdom also leads a coalition against the Houthis in Yemen, who launched an offensive last week to capture the country’s west coast and claim ports along the Red Sea. The Houthis and Iran have also been at the center of the ongoing crisis at the Strait of Hormuz.

The 2027 Dakar Rally’s route is mainly along the western part of the Saudi Arabia, straddling the Red Sea. Off the coast of Yanbu, which will host the finish to the Prologue and start of Stage 1, a Houthi missile strike on a Saudi-flagged oil tanker in August.

Ronald van Loon and William de Groot have already stated they won’t be racing Dakar due to the war.

On the other hand, TimeOut Racing noted that the other stops for the race are far enough from where the Houthis and Iran have targeted: the former has mainly struck along the Saudi–Yemeni border and the southern Red Sea, while the latter primarily targets Riyadh, the Gulf coast, and eastern and central Saudi Arabia. Bisha and Al-Baha, which will be the final set of stages, are north of the affected areas.

“We are not security analysts and we do not pretend to be. But we have run Dakar projects in Saudi Arabia since 2022, we know the geography and we read the primary sources,” the team explained. “The picture is a country under real pressure at its borders and coasts, with the interior and the western corridor, where the Dakar takes place, operating largely as normal.”

The worsening situation has naturally sparked questions about international motorsports in the region. The WRC is still tentatively scheduled to wrap up its season in Saudi Arabia in November, though Hyundai and Toyota have already indicated they won’t go. Formula One and the World Endurance Championship have already moved their races in the region too.

As for other rally raids, the EMSO has not commented on the whether the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge can proceed safely in late November. The Qatar International Baja and Dubai International Baja are also still slated to run as of now.

Featured image credit: Arthur Reynier / DPPI