30 days to go!

From May 24 to 29, the 13th edition of Desafío Ruta 40 YPF will take place in Argentina. Counting towards the third round of the World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC), the race will be held on the San Juan–San Rafael–San Juan.

The countdown has already begun. With just one month to go, Desafío Ruta 40 YPF is gearing up for an unprecedented edition featuring five stages, a total of 2,993 kilometres – including 1,726 kilometres of special stages – and optimised logistics across two bivouacs.

A demanding route featuring a wide range of terrain, including dunes, sand and higher-altitude sections in the Cordillera de los Andes, plus an exceptional entry list, Desafío Ruta 40 YPF is set to become by far the most important international motorsport event the country will host in 2026.

The city of San Juan (capital of the province of the same name) will host both the start and the finish, consolidating its position as one of the most traditional venues in the history of this race. There, the bivouac – which will be open to the public with free admission – will be located at the renowned Circuito San Juan Villicum.

Of course, one of the major highlights of Desafío Ruta 40 YPF will be the eagerly awaited return to the province of Mendoza, specifically to San Rafael, ten years after the competition last visited this city. The return to Mendoza reaffirms the DR40’s connection with one of the most spectacular natural landscapes in terms of sporting value and visual impact. The crossing of the El Nihuil dunes, which will once again form part of the route after a nine-year absence, will be one of the major highlights of the 2026 edition. In this case, the bivouac will be located at the Centro de Congresos y Exposiciones.

Speaking of which, Pablo Eli (Desafío Ruta 40’s Sporting Director) gives an insight into what the race will be like: “The choice of the provinces of San Juan and Mendoza was based on feedback from W2RC competitors following the 2024 edition. They asked us for more navigation and more open desert. The provinces of San Juan and Mendoza offer us a wide variety of routes for this purpose. The difference between 2024 and 2026 will lie in the diversity of terrain profiles we will come across. The stages will be very different, completely diverse from one another. This will break the monotony we have sometimes experienced in previous years. It will be very varied, truly beautiful. I believe it will be the best Desafío Ruta 40 we have organised in the last ten years.”