Circuit de Dakar-Baobabs

Circuit de Dakar-Baobabs at a glance

Location

Sindia, Thiès Region

Type

road course

Length

4.7 km (2.92 mi)

Turns

21

Surface

asphalt

Opened

2008

Owner

Federation of Senegalese Automobile (Fédération Sénégalaise du Sport Automobile)

Address

Sindia

Website

circuitdedakar.com

Track map and layout

West Africa's first permanent race circuit sits on an 80-hectare site at Sindia, around 60 km south of Dakar. The 4.700 km, 21-turn lap was drawn up by Jean-André Collard for founder Paul Libens and mixes fast, sweeping sections with tighter technical combinations, giving it a reputation as a demanding but rewarding circuit by regional standards. The layout was finalised in the early 2000s after decades of earlier proposals for a permanent Senegalese circuit had stalled, and it was FIA-homologated in 2009 shortly after opening.

Configurations

Events and race weekends

The circuit is West Africa's main venue for organised circuit racing, hosting national Senegalese motorsport championships and the long-running Dakar 6 Hours endurance race for local and regional teams. It functions primarily as a national and regional facility rather than a stop on international championship calendars, and its FIA homologation supports Senegalese federation events run under FIA-recognised rules.

Getting there and parking

Sindia lies south of Dakar along Senegal's main coastal road corridor, roughly an hour's drive from the capital and from Blaise Diagne International Airport, which serves Dakar. There is no direct public transport to the circuit gates, so visitors typically arrange a taxi, rideshare or hire car from Dakar or from the airport.

• Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) · about 45 min drive

Roads and signage around Sindia are geared to local traffic rather than tourism, so confirming directions with the circuit or a local contact before travelling is worthwhile.

Hotels and camping near Circuit de Dakar-Baobabs

Most visitors base themselves in Dakar, which has the widest choice of hotels and is roughly an hour's drive from Sindia, or along the nearby Petite Côte beach resorts such as Saly, which sit closer to the circuit. There is no trackside camping or on-site accommodation at the venue itself.

Where to look

Dakar (widest hotel choice, about an hour away) or the Petite Côte resort towns such as Saly and Mbour, which are closer to Sindia.

Track days, driving experiences and lap records

The circuit is used mainly for organised national championship and endurance racing rather than a standing public track-day programme; visiting drivers would need to arrange access through the Senegalese motorsport federation or local clubs rather than booking a commercial track-day operator.

Spectator guide

As a regional racing facility rather than a major international venue, spectator infrastructure is modest compared with larger circuits; fans typically watch from general viewing areas around the perimeter rather than large dedicated grandstands.

Weather

• Nov-Feb (dry season): warm and dry, highs around 28-30°C, the most comfortable months to visit
• Jun-Sep (wet season): hot and humid with seasonal rains

History of Circuit de Dakar-Baobabs

A quarter-century in the making

The idea of a permanent race circuit for Senegal was first proposed to national authorities in 1975, but it took until the 2000s for the project to become reality. Belgian entrepreneur Paul Libens, who had lived and worked in Senegal for nearly three decades, bought an 80-hectare site at Sindia, about 60 km south of Dakar, and commissioned his son-in-law Jean-André Collard to design the layout.

Building West Africa's first permanent circuit

Construction moved quickly once the plans were finalised, and the 4.700 km, 21-turn Circuit de Dakar-Baobabs opened in 2008 as the first permanent motor-racing facility in West Africa. The track combines fast sections with technical, tightly linked corners, and it received FIA homologation in 2009, formalising its status for federation-sanctioned competition.

A home for Senegalese motorsport

Since opening, the circuit has served primarily as the base for Senegal's national motorsport scene, hosting championship rounds organised by the Fédération Sénégalaise du Sport Automobile and the long-standing Dakar 6 Hours endurance race, which continued a name and format with roots going back decades in Senegalese racing culture. Rather than becoming a fixture on wider international championship calendars, the venue has functioned mainly as a national and regional hub, giving Senegalese and neighbouring drivers a permanent home for circuit racing where none existed before 2008. It remains, as of the mid-2020s, the principal organised racing venue in French-speaking West Africa.

Frequently asked questions