The Africa Eco Race was conceived to preserve the original African spirit and geographic character of the Dakar Rally after security concerns in Mauritania forced the 2008 Dakar to be cancelled just before its start. The organisers positioned the new event as a successor to the classic Paris–Dakar route, ending at Dakar on the shores of Lac Rose. Beyond the sporting contest, the Africa Eco Race placed a stated emphasis on eco-responsibility and sustainable development, requiring participants and the organisation alike to minimise environmental impact along the route. Bivouacs are deliberately sited away from cities and airport runways to reduce disruption.
The race is open to both amateur and professional competitors and runs across four participation formats: a full competitive race, a classic regularity-based event introduced in 2024, and two non-competitive Raid events for motorcycles and cars. The Classic category, using a regularity scoring system, allows crews to select a target average speed tier at the start and be scored on their consistency across designated regularity zones.
Motorcycles, quads, SSVs, cars, and trucks all compete under the Africa Eco Race umbrella, with classifications governed by the French Motorcycle Federation (FFM) for two-wheelers and the FIA International Sporting Code for four-wheeled vehicles.
The early editions of the Africa Eco Race were dominated by Jean-Louis Schlesser, who won the car category in the first six editions from 2009 through 2014. Schlesser competed in buggies of his own construction, and his six consecutive victories gave the event much of its early identity. His absence from the 2015 edition coincided with the return of the Kamaz official truck team.
Anton Shibalov of Russia became a recurring force in the truck category, claiming multiple victories aboard Kamaz machinery. In the motorcycle category, Norwegian rider Pål Anders Ullevålseter won back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016. The 2021 edition was cancelled due to risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Africa Eco Race has maintained a public commitment to environmental initiatives beyond its sporting programme. The organisation distributed reusable flatware kits to all participants to reduce waste at bivouacs, and some organisation vehicles were fitted with solar panels to draw on stored energy during daily operations. In 2011 the organisation funded the planting of 3,000 eucalyptus trees in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Solar-powered electricity generation projects were established at a school in Nouakchott and a library in the historic town of Chinguetti to provide lasting infrastructure to communities along the route.
The Africa Eco Race represents the clearest institutional effort to maintain a Dakar-style rally raid on African soil after the original event's departure. While smaller in profile than the Dakar Rally it replaced on the continent, the race has attracted serious international competition and built a following among privateers seeking a classic desert endurance challenge. Its route from the Mediterranean coast of Morocco to the Atlantic finish in Dakar follows the historical corridor that made the original Dakar Rally iconic.
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