As war in the Middle East continues, anxiety over whether the 2027 Dakar Rally will proceed remains high. Publicly, the ASO reassured in mid-September that the race won’t be called off. Route reconnaissance in Saudi Arabia even took place later in the month.

Of course, the organizers aren’t blind to what’s happening. Behind the scenes, the ASO is drawing up alternatives. A report from Mundo Deportivo indicated there are two possible options.

“Plan A”, as it’s called, is to stay in Saudi Arabia but run a new route further north. This would move the rally away from the Saudi border with Yemen, where the Saudi-led coalition and sitting government continue to fight the Houthis. However, the Houthis have continued to launch missiles and drones across the border, most recently striking King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

Several racing series have already called off or moved their events from the region. Conversely, Formula One tentatively plans to race in Qatar and Abu Dhabi later in the year, while the W2RC’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in November is still the season finale. Even then, skepticism remains and several would-be Dakar teams have already said they won’t go.

That leads to Plan B, the eight-stage “Rally Merzouga by Dakar”. In a way, it’d mark a return to the Dakar’s roots in Africa and be a full circle moment as the Paris–Dakar era ended with the interim Central European Rally before a new home was found in South America. The W2RC recently wrapped up the Rallye du Maroc in the country, and current RdM organizer Pro Dunes is willing to help the ASO. David Castera, the current director of the Dakar, also used to run the RdM before handing it off to Pro Dunes.

As it stands, however, the ASO needs a decision from the Saudi government due to contractual obligations. This means the waiting game continues, one that KTM doesn’t want to play as the team desires an answer before transporting equipment out in November.

Regardless of whether the ASO decides to stay in Saudi Arabia or head to Morocco, you can rest assured that the Dakar Classic will be there too.

The Dakar Classic is put on by the ASO like the main race, meaning any decisions concerning the Dakar Rally applies to the Classic too. Still, there were questions about whether the 2027 edition would happen. K Motorsport even decided to switch from the Dakar Classic to the Africa Eco Race Historic because of the crisis.

Fortunately, all signs indicate the Classic will proceed no matter where it’s held.

In fact, Morocco as the alternative site is perfect for the Classic. New for 2026, the Rallye du Maroc Classic is held in tandem with the main RdM and follows the same regulations as the Dakar Classic. Both vintage raids are part of the Classic Series Trophy, which might be easier to stoke participation if the Rally Merzouga by Dakar happens since they’d be in the same country.

Featured image credit: Nantes Prestige Autos