The 44th edition of the Dakar will double as the opening round of the FIA and FIM World Rally-raid Championships for cross-country rallying.
The inclusion of the crown jewel of rally raids in a season-long competition offers a historic opportunity to unify the regulations of the sport and raise its profile year-round. A.S.O. will be the promoter of these Championships with the ambition to meet the high expectations of riders, co-drivers and constructors, as well as the viewers and fans who follow their exploits on-screen
Jean TODT - FIA President
"Having the Dakar in the new FIA World Championship marks a real change and a huge success. You could even call it a revolution because we are set to witness the rise of new forms of energy. Motor sports are a test bed, and we are committed to ushering in a new age of “clean vehicles”. On the sporting side, the only limitation is our imagination: at some point in the future, why not organise an event in Asia, another one in Latin America and yet another one in Africa, the old stomping grounds of the Dakar?"
Jorge VIEGAS - FIM President
"The inclusion of the Dakar, the showpiece event of rally raids, will transform the new version of the FIM World Championship. The culmination of all these debates, which have been going on for three years, will also harmonise safety measures. Thanks to the increased media coverage, the sport will benefit in more ways than one: it will become easier for viewers to understand and safer for the competitors."
Yann LE MOËNNER - Managing Director at Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.)
"As the sport coalesces around a new backbone, a virtuous cycle has been set in motion to turbocharge the energy transition and achieve our goal of “zero emissions” by 2030. The launch of the T1 Ultimate category can be seen as the foundation stone of a new building: pioneering vehicles equipped with alternative engines will set out to tame the Saudi desert, leading the way for all the constructors that continue to refine their projects. We want to set a consistent pace for this medium-term strategy by setting realistic time frames"
