The FIM and W2RC has revealed the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship calendar with five rounds including a new race in Europe, the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Transibérico through Portugal and Spain joining the established races and beginning with the Dakar Rally next January.

As the Rally-Raid World Championship competitors head towards the conclusion of the Desafio Ruta 40, round four of the 2023 championship season in Argentina, the FIM has finalised next season’s calendar.

The big news is the addition of a new race in a new continent, Europe. Following the 46th edition of the Dakar on January 6-19, and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in the Emirates, the W2RC caravan will leave Asia for Europe and the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Transibérico through Portugal and Spain in April.

Europe is the home for many of the major race teams as well as being an “incubator” for many competitors in the sport of Rally-Raid.

June will see the caravan regroup in Latin America as they are this week at the Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina before the traditional African stop, the “cradle of the sport” as they put it, will crown champions and conclude the season with the Rallye du Maroc in Morocco.

2024 World Rally-Raid Championship calendar

Round 1: January 05-19, Dakar Saudi Arabia

Round 2: February 25–March 02,  Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, United Arab Emirates

Round 3: April 02-07, BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Transibérico, Portugal

Round 4: June 02-08, Desafio Ruta 40, Argentina

Round 5: October 05-11,  Rallye du Maroc, Morocco

David Castera, Motor Sports Director at Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O., the promoter of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship), said: “Season three of the W2RC is already starting to take shape on the January 2024 horizon. The constant growth of the field this year shows just how successful this format has become. The 2024 calendar will follow the same recipe, which blends tradition, continuity and innovation. Apart from the three major events of the sport, the theme of the current season has been the exploration of the Americas. This will continue next season, when the Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina, which is coming back from its hiatus this year, returns for a new edition.

“Mirroring its inaugural campaign, the W2RC will head to Europe, this time for the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Transibérico, a geographically closer and less expensive gateway to the sport for competitors, teams and fans from this continent, which remains the leading incubator of rally raids. This new event will make an impact in more ways than one because it runs through Portugal and Spain, two countries that stand out for their motor sports know-how and tradition. This time more than ever, the calendar will be a hit with rookies and veterans alike.”

Jorge Viegas, FIM President, added: “The growing popularity of the W2RC is reflected by this great calendar for 2024, with next year’s championship spread across four continents including a return to Europe and an important stop in Argentina. This is a country that has hosted the Dakar and FIM World Championship events in the past and will provide stability for the series in Latin America.

“Together with championship promoter A.S.O. we are continuing to work closely to improve safety in what is an extremely demanding discipline. I am also proud of the continued collaboration between the FIM and FIA on various shared matters, which will bring ongoing benefits to all concerned. On behalf of the FIM I would like to thank A.S.O. along with all the other parties involved in preparing the 2024 schedule of events.”