- The second edition of the South African Safari Rally (14-19 June 2027) will cross borders and spend two days in Botswana, which will become the 9th country visited by the World Rally-Raid Championship.
- The event is significant in more ways than one: never before has a race of such magnitude crossed Botswana’s territory. The W2RC continues to push its boundaries and leave its mark on the history of motorsport.
- “It’s going to be wild, epic, a true African adventure,” announces Archie Rutherford, Director of the South African Safari Rally. “It’s a lifelong dream,” says an emotional Ross Branch, 2024 RallyGP World Champion and the greatest rider in Botswana’s history.
Each of the 22 rounds contested since the creation of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), in 2022, has explored new territories. But during the South African Safari Rally 2027, a new country will appear on the W2RC map. The second edition of the South African race, which will also be the third round of the 2027 calendar from 14 to 19 June, will indeed spend two days in Botswana during stages 2 and 3.
Two stages and one night in Botswana
As in 2025, the caravan will be based in Sun City, but the competitors will cross the border during the marathon stage. They will first contest stage 2 (16 June) in Botswana, travelling through the districts of Kgatleng and then Kweneng, before spending the night in the middle of the bush in a “marathon” camp. South Africa will be reached again the following day at the end of stage 3 (17 June). Two long specials totalling 790 kilometres (430 km during stage 2, 360 km for stage 3, provisional figures) will cross what will become the 9th country visited by the W2RC.
Botswana will indeed join, in order of appearance, Saudi Arabia (Dakar), the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge), Morocco (Rallye OLA Energy du Maroc), Spain (Andalucia Rally, bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal), Mexico (Sonora Rally), Argentina (Desafio Ruta 40 YPF), Portugal (bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal) and South Africa (South African Safari Rally).
Archie Rutherford: “Wild, authentic nature, the terrain is varied”
“We have a long history with racing in Botswana. We’ve raced there for the last 30 years as part of our South African national championship. The people of Botswana are absolute motorsport enthusiasts, they love rally-raid and come by the thousands to see us every year. It is therefore an immense pleasure and a privilege to travel to Botswana during the 2027 South African Safari Rally,” introduces Archie Rutherford, Director of the event created specifically to join the W2RC in 2025.
“Botswana’s terrain is varied. It’s wild, there’s very little fences. It's true African wilderness. There are a lot of sandy sections, some very tight bush sections, riverbed sections,” he explains. “Botswana has it all and it’s going to provide a whole new element to the race, specifically in the marathon stage. It’s going to be a true endurance test for man and for the machines, with the competitors camping in the African bush. It’s going to be wild. It’s going to be epic. A true African adventure awaits.”
Ross Branch: “A lifelong dream”
RallyGP World Champion in 2024, Ross Branch made history for his country by becoming the first Botswanan to win an FIM title. The Hero MotoSports rider is delighted that the caravan is coming to his home country: “This is the best news ever! It's been a lifelong dream to race a World Championship round in Botswana, so to have two stages means the absolute world to me. I'm so happy that my W2RC family gets to meet and see my home and my Botswana family, and all the people around this country that makes motorsport so special. We definitely have some of the best spectators in the world, and they will come in large numbers to watch the W2RC.”
“It’s going to be very special,” continues the rider with 13 RallyGP special victories to date. “And for me, of course, racing at home will be incredible. And just to show everybody how beautiful our country is. The terrain is going to be changing so much. There's so many different varied terrains throughout Botswana, and it's going to be really interesting how often it changes, and it's going to give a different challenge to all the competitors coming here. I've raced all over the world, but nothing compares racing in our own land with our people behind me. I'm looking forward to it.”
