The Desafío Ruta 40, one of South America’s most iconic rally-raid competitions, will be held from 24 to 29 May 2026 as the third round of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). The route will link San Juan – San Rafael (Mendoza) – San Juan, reaffirming Argentina’s position as one of the discipline’s historic strongholds.
This 13th edition features a total distance of over 2,700 km, including 1,699 km of competitive stages, structured around two bivouacs and a simplified logistics model designed to prioritise sporting intensity. San Juan will host both the ceremonial start and the finish, once again positioning itself as a central venue in the history of DR40.
A key highlight of the 2026 route is the return to the province of Mendoza — and specifically to San Rafael — ten years after the event last visited the region. The comeback reinforces the rally’s connection to some of the most striking competitive environments in Argentina, combining sporting relevance with high visual impact.
Terrain variety will play a decisive role across five full days of racing, with sand and dune navigation at the forefront. The legendary El Nihuil dunes, returning to the route after nearly a decade of absence, are expected to be one of the most demanding and spectacular elements of the event.
This edition of DR40 also aligns with the promoter’s long-term strategy for the W2RC calendar. Following the debut of the South African Safari Rally in 2025, the Argentine round returns in 2026 as planned, marking the season’s halfway point and serving as a key transition between the opening and closing phases of the world championship.
With entries now open, riders and teams have the opportunity to join an event that combines competitive difficulty, emblematic landscapes and the unmistakable atmosphere of the Argentine rally-raid community — a constant hallmark of DR40.
The 2026 Desafío Ruta 40 is set to write a new chapter in the history of the event, offering a route of strategic relevance for the championship and reaffirming Argentina’s enduring role within the global rally-raid ecosystem.
Source: DR40
Rally-Raid Network
Disclaimer:
As a service to the sport we all love and follow, Rally-Raid Network posts numerous media releases from a wide variety of sources on our website. Due to the large number, and some times short time available, it is nearly impossible to review each public release. These articles are written by reporters or press officers who work for various organizers, teams, drivers, riders, and other parties, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rally-Raid Network.
