Series: Africa Eco Race 2027
Registration for the 18th edition of the Africa Eco Race is under way, but according to a report by the magazine MFE-live dated 14 October 2026, quotas in several categories have almost been reached. The rally runs from 24 January to 6 February 2027, from Tangier through Morocco and Mauritania to Lac Rose in Senegal. Registration is handled via the organiser’s website, africarace.com.
On 11 October 2026 the organiser wrote on Instagram: “Registrations are open” (“Die Anmeldungen sind geöffnet” in the German original, translation). Two names from Germany already have the race in their calendar: Mike Wiedemann’s team from Endingen is announcing a squad for 2027, and motorcyclist Markus Hertlein says he is preparing for a start. The organiser has not confirmed entries for either of them.
Team Wiedemann: Africa Eco Race 2027 in the calendar
Wiedemann Offroad Experience (WOX) lists the Africa Eco Race 2027 in its events calendar. The accompanying event page says: “We are planning to put together a team for the Africa Eco Race in 2027” (translated into German in the original article; quoted here in the English original). Interested riders can reportedly get in touch by email. The entry gives the period as 23 January to 6 February 2027 and the location as Dakar; according to the organiser’s programme, the official start is on 24 January in Tangier.
This is an announced plan. The page does not say whether Wiedemann will ride himself or run the team, how many riders will take part, or in which categories.
At the 2026 Africa Eco Race, Wiedemann rode a Yamaha Ténéré to 4th place overall and third in the Big Bikes, Speedweek reported on 8 February 2026. According to the report, the two protégés in his own team also reached the finish in Dakar. The Badische Zeitung also took stock of Wiedemann and his team on 18 February 2026.
Markus Hertlein: preparation according to his own website
After the 2026 Dakar, in which he took part and which he finished according to his website, Markus Hertlein is preparing for the 2027 Africa Eco Race. He is reportedly planning to enter the Dakar again in 2028. The site does not state his class, team or start number. A connection between Hertlein and Team Wiedemann is not documented in the sources checked.
Quotas almost reached
According to MFE-live, registration will close for good once the set quotas are reached. The organisation deliberately limits the number of participants to avoid night driving during navigation. The report gives the following status:
- Course Historic (vehicles from 1970 to 2007): practically full, with more than 40 vehicles, twice as many as in 2025.
- Course Moderne (motorcycle, car, SSV, quad and truck): quotas almost reached.
- Raid (motorcycle and car): close to a full field.
No official entry list from the organiser is available.
The Raid, a category without timing or rankings, will be offered in two formats in 2027. According to MFE-live, the Raid Évolution follows the exact route of the Course with roadbook navigation, but on somewhat shorter stages. The Raid Traveler, called “Raid Travel” in the French report, alternates between accessible off-road sections and road links. According to the Yamaha Ténéré Rally Team, the Évolution requires approval from the organiser and a minimum level of experience.
Route and reconnaissance
According to the programme that Génération 4×4 published on 14 September 2026, technical and administrative scrutineering takes place in Tangier from 21 to 23 January. On 24 January a prologue on the city beach and the official start follow, and on 25 January the first of twelve stages. The rest day is on 30 January in Dakhla, and the finish is at Lac Rose on 6 February.
For the special stages, MFE-live gives 4,000 kilometres for the Course. The Historic category runs its own route with 3,000 kilometres of special stages, according to the report 30 per cent more than in the previous edition. The sources checked give no total distance including liaison stages. New special stages are said to commemorate former sporting director René Metge, and one stage leads to Tabrankout in Mauritania.
According to MFE-live, the final reconnaissance trips began in the week of 14 October 2026. Jean-Louis Schlesser, director and co-founder of the event, and sporting director Manfred Kroiss are reportedly fixing the last details and writing the roadbook. In a post of 15 October 2026, the organiser named three questions every route must pass: whether it is navigable, safe and sporting enough to be worthwhile.
Sources and image credits
- Africa Eco Race, official website: home page with the news item “The Africa Eco Race 2027 route map has finally been revealed”, 11.09.2026, africarace.com/en
- Africa Eco Race (Instagram, @africaecorace): “The road to Dakar is being written.”, 11.10.2026, instagram.com/reel/DeXJxGqRO7X
- Africa Eco Race (Instagram, @africaecorace): “Recos 2027: how the route gets built.”, 15.10.2026, instagram.com/reel/DehhjRmxb18
- MFE-live (Marie-France Estenave): “Africa Eco Race 2027 : La préparation du plus grand rallye-raid transfrontalier dans le désert africain monte en puissance”, 14.10.2026, mfe-live.com
- Génération 4×4: “Africa Race parcours 2027”, 14.09.2026, generation4x4mag.fr
- Ténéré Spirit Experience (Yamaha Ténéré Rally Team): “Registration for the Africa Eco Race with the Yamaha team”, date on page 02.10.2025, tenere-spirit-experience.com
- Wiedemann Offroad Experience: “Ténéré” (events calendar), undated, wiedemannexperience.com/tenere
- Wiedemann Offroad Experience: “Africa Eco Race 2027” (event page), undated, wiedemannexperience.com
- Markus Hertlein, website: “Home”, no reliable update date, markus-hertlein.de
- Speedweek: “Africa Eco Race: Kevin Gallas und Mike Wiedemann schreiben Geschichte”, 08.02.2026, speedweek.com
- Badische Zeitung (Martin Wendel): “Abenteuer in der Wüste: So erleben der Endinger Mike Wiedemann und sein Team das Africa Eco Race”, 18.02.2026, badische-zeitung.de
- Photo 1: Motorcycles and camel caravan in the dunes, archive photo. Rights holder: Africa Eco Race, photographer according to file name Alexis Blondel. Original source: africarace.com, date of photo not stated.
- Photo 2: Mike Wiedemann at the 2026 Africa Eco Race, archive photo. Photo: Alessio Corradini. Original source: Badische Zeitung, published on 18.02.2026.