Dakar Classic 2027 Regulations: Which Group Can You Race

You are entered for the Dakar Classic 2027 but not yet sure which category your vehicle can run. Here is how the new rules decide it.

You have your entry for the Dakar Classic 2027, and now one question matters more than any other. Which average speed group can your vehicle actually race in. According to the ASO draft, the Dakar Classic 2027 Regulations answer that with a completely rebuilt period and group system. This guide walks you through it, and also covers the other big changes in the same draft, from protests and appeals to new sporting formats and penalty rules.

Important note up front. The points below are based on a draft document published by ASO. They are not final. The regulations that apply on the rally are always the ones officially published by ASO at https://competitors.dakar.com/en/regulations. We share this overview early so that you can plan, but every figure here can still change.

We are working through the full Dakar Classic 2027 Regulations in detail over the coming days and will update this page step by step.

A new two period system replaces three periods

The most fundamental change concerns how a vehicle is classified. According to the ASO draft, the previous three periods (A, B and C) are reduced to two periods. The reference point is the first participation of the model at the Dakar.

Period A, called Pré-95, covers models whose first participation was before 31 December 1994. Period B, called Post-95, covers models whose first participation was from 01 January 1995 up to and including the Dakar 2005.

The vehicle cutoff year stays 2005. A similar model must have taken part in the Dakar Rally up to the 2005 edition inclusive, or in another rally raid of that era.

The new Low Performance list and group access

On top of Period A and Period B, the ASO draft introduces a separate Low Performance list. These are lower performance vehicles, drawn from Period A or Period B, that the organisation marks specifically. This list is the only route into the slowest group, H1.

The groups H1 to H4 are not vehicle classes. They are average speed groups. Which groups a vehicle may enter depends on its classification.

In practice this means that H1 is reserved for Low Performance vehicles only. H2 is open to Period A and to Low Performance vehicles, but no longer to Period B. H3 and H4 are open to both Period A and Period B.

The allowed groups for each vehicle are listed in Appendix 1 of the Dakar Classic 2027 Regulations and are fixed when the entry is validated. If a vehicle does not appear in that table, a separate request to the organisation is required. The organising committee may accept or refuse a vehicle in a given group based on its technical and safety specifications.

How the average speed groups work

According to the ASO draft, the Organisation sets the route and the target averages on the basis of H2, driven with a modern standard 4x4 without any preparation. H2 is therefore the reference group.

From that reference, H1 runs at least 10 percent below the base average, which makes it the slowest group. H2 is the base average set by the Organisation. H3 runs at least 5 percent above the base. H4 runs at least 10 percent above the base, which makes it the fastest group. For safety reasons, on certain sectors such as badly degraded tracks or passages near a camp, the difference between groups can be reduced to 0 percent.

Within the groups that a vehicle is allowed to enter, the crew chooses. A Period A vehicle can deliberately run H2 instead of H4 if a calmer pace is preferred. The final choice is confirmed after the Private Test and the Prologue.

Trucks lose a category in H1t

The truck distribution also changes. According to the ASO draft, Period B trucks may no longer enter the low average group H1t. In 2026 both periods were allowed in H1t and H2t. In 2027, Period A trucks remain eligible for both H1t and H2t, while Period B trucks are restricted to H2t.

Protests and appeals are now allowed

This is a major shift in governance. In 2026 the rule was clear, no protests and no appeals were admitted. The Dakar Classic 2027 Regulations reverse this.

According to the ASO draft, protests may now be lodged in writing with Race Control, no later than 18:00 on the day following the stage concerned, and no later than 19:00 on the same day for the final stage. The protest deposit is set at 1,000 EUR and is not refunded if the protest is declared inadmissible or unfounded.

Appeals also become possible, lodged under Articles 13 and 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and, where applicable, the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules. The international appeal deposit is set at 3,000 EUR. Throughout the document, references now point explicitly to the FIA International Sporting Code, which formalises the event under the FIA framework.

New sporting formats: Neutralization Zones and Power Stage

Two formats are entirely new. According to the ASO draft, Neutralization Zones (NEU IN and NEU OUT) can be set inside any Regularity Test longer than 200 km, with a target time to respect between entry and exit. A missing NEU IN or NEU OUT costs 300 points, and each second early at NEU OUT costs 5 points.

The second new format is the Power Stage on RT 13.1. It runs with doubled penalties, namely 2 points per second for a late or early arrival up to 60 points per time check, 100 points for each missed intermediate check, a maximum of 900 points, and 1,000 points for a missed start.

Tougher and more graduated penalties

The penalty structure becomes more graduated. According to the ASO draft, the maximum penalty of a Regularity Test now depends on its length. Up to 200 km the maximum stays 450 points and a missed start stays 500 points. Above 200 km the maximum rises to 900 points and a missed start to 1,000 points. The same length based logic now applies to Navigation Tests.

A new ten minute rule is added. More than ten minutes of delay at one or several intermediate checks, the finish of the RT included, triggers the maximum penalty for that RT.

Not everything goes up. A skipped checkpoint now costs 50 points instead of 200. A new minimum gap of 3 minutes between the virtual time control and the RT or NT start is introduced.

There is also a new reclassification option. A crew whose stage result does not reflect its usual level, due to a mechanical problem, an incident or exceptional circumstances, may request a new position on the next start list via the Inquiry Form, submitted before 19:00.

Navigation: every roadbook box is now a waypoint

A practical change for co-drivers. According to the ASO draft, every box in the roadbook is now a waypoint. In 2026 it was explicitly stated that not all boxes counted as waypoints. The waypoint type is marked in both the paper and the digital roadbook.

Calendar and route

The schedule moves. According to the ASO draft, the Dakar Classic 2027 runs from 30 December 2026 to 15 January 2027. The Start Camp moves from Yanbu to King Abdullah Economic City, known as KAEC. The bivouac cities are new, including Al Ula, Hail, Al Duwadimi, Bisha, Wadi Ad Dawasir and Al Baha, with the rest day in Bisha. There are two marathon bivouacs and two Private Test days instead of three. The official posting runs through the Sportity app, with the new password DK27CLASSIC.

A new cross challenge with the Rallye du Maroc Classic

The Dakar Classic 2027 Regulations add a combined challenge across two events. According to the ASO draft, a challenge is organised for all participants of the Rallye du Maroc Classic 2026 and the Dakar Classic 2027. To be eligible, the driver or co-driver must appear on the official starting list of both events. The final classification is determined by adding the penalty points of the official classification from both rallies.

What about the technical regulation

The points above all come from the sporting regulation. The technical regulation for 2027 is a separate document and also changed. We will cover those vehicle preparation topics, such as safety cage rules, fuel tank protection and lighting requirements, in a dedicated follow up.

What this means for your entry

If you plan a Dakar Classic 2027 entry, the new period and group system is the first thing to check, because it decides which average speed groups your vehicle can run. The governance change, with protests and appeals now possible, changes how disputes are handled on the rally. The new penalty structure rewards precise regularity even more than before.

As a team that has completed four Dakar editions with a 100 percent finisher rate across all supported customers, we will translate these Dakar Classic 2027 Regulations into a clear plan for each vehicle and crew. If you want us to map your specific car or truck to its period and possible groups, talk to us.

FAQ: Dakar Classic 2027 Regulations

Are the Dakar Classic 2027 Regulations final?

No. According to the ASO draft, this is a working version dated 02 June 2026 with several fields still marked to be announced. The binding regulations are always the ones published by ASO at https://competitors.dakar.com/en/regulations.

How many periods are there in 2027?

Two. Period A is Pré-95, with a first model participation before 31 December 1994. Period B is Post-95, from 01 January 1995 up to and including the Dakar 2005.

Which vehicles can enter group H1?

Only vehicles on the Low Performance list, drawn from Period A or Period B.

Can decisions be appealed in 2027?

Yes. According to the ASO draft, appeals are now possible under Articles 13 and 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code, with an international appeal deposit of 3,000 EUR. Protests are also possible, with a deposit of 1,000 EUR.

What is the Power Stage?

RT 13.1 is run as a Power Stage with doubled penalties, including 2 points per second and a maximum of 900 points.

What is the vehicle cutoff year?

A similar model must have taken part in the Dakar up to the 2005 edition inclusive, or in another rally raid of that period.

Sources and disclaimer

This overview is based on the ASO draft of the Supplementary Regulation for the Dakar Classic 2027, version V1 dated 02 June 2026. It is provided for orientation only and can still change. The regulations that apply are always the ones officially published by ASO at https://competitors.dakar.com/en/regulations.