Yamaha heads to Dakar in 2026 with the Yamaha Ténéré Rally Team
6 October 2025
Dakar is the goal for Yamaha in 2026
Yamaha and the Dakar Rally share a long history that began in 1977 with Thierry Sabine and his Yamaha during the Abidjan-Nice race, the event that inspired him to create the famous Paris-Dakar Rally.
Since 2022, Yamaha has announced the end of its participation in the Dakar Rally (in its current form), in favor of
new projects.
This is how the Yamaha Ténéré Rally Team was born: the official team competing with the Ténéré 700. But how can you compete in the Dakar with twin-cylinder bikes? Well, it’s not possible in the modern Dakar. It all depends on which Dakar are we talking about?
The original Dakar Rally, which has its roots in Africa, ends in Dakar (Senegal) on the legendary white beach for an exceptional finale.
And in 2026, the Africa Eco Race is firmly in the sights of the Yamaha Ténéré Rally Team. Yamaha will therefore be heading to Dakar, with the aim not only of reaching the finish line, but also of aiming for victory.
What's new for the 2026 Africa Eco Race?
For this 17th edition, there are several changes to note:
- The departure will no longer be from Monaco, but from 📍 Tangier, in northern Morocco.
- The course has been redesigned for each category.
In the Raid category, there is a new feature in terms of navigation: participants will now have the choice between navigating with a roadbook or using GPX tracks.
Key figures:
114 motorcycles will be at the start of the 2026 edition in the Racing category.
In the Raid category, 22 motorcycles will take the start.
📅 Provisional schedule: Africa Eco Race 2026
Competitors will experience an adventure that is 100% rally, 100% human, 100% Africa.
- January 20-21: Pre-checks and loading of vehicles at a port in southern France (exact location to be confirmed).
- January 23: Arrival in Tangier Med
- January 23–25: Administrative and technical checks
- January 25 Official start of the 17th edition of the Africa Eco Race from Tangier. It is from this iconic city that competitors will set off on a unique adventure across Africa, heading south to the legendary finish line at Lac Rose (Senegal), scheduled for February 7, 2026.
- January 26: Stage 1
- January 31: Rest day in Dakhla
- February 7: Arrival at Lac Rose
