The 2026 edition of the Desafío Ruta 40, part of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), will take place from May 24 to May 29 in Argentina, with the rally based in San Juan and a route that also passes through San Rafael (Mendoza).
The event will follow a classic rally-raid format, starting with a short prologue stage that will determine the starting order for the opening day of competition.
From there, competitors will face five stages across a wide variety of terrain, including fast gravel tracks, rocky sections and more technical navigation areas typical of the region.
The programme is structured as follows:
May 24 – Administrative checks, scrutineering and prologue
May 25 – Stage 1
May 26 – Stage 2
May 27 – Stage 3 (including the transition towards San Rafael)
May 28 – Stage 4
May 29 – Stage 5 and finish
The route is designed as a loop, starting and ending in San Juan, with one of the key features of the rally being the mid-event move to San Rafael before returning for the final stages.
As in previous editions, the stages are expected to combine high-speed sections with demanding navigation, making consistency and strategy just as important as outright pace.
The Desafío Ruta 40 remains one of the most important events in South America and a crucial round in the W2RC calendar, offering a balanced mix of endurance, navigation and varied terrain across its five days of competition.
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