The Dakar Rally could return to the African continent in 2020 after organizers struggled to secure a satisfactory route in South America for the 2019 event. Event organizers ASO announced this week that the 41st edition will visit only one country in 2019: Peru. It will be the first time in the event's history that it will be held in a single country.

Peru will host the event after Chile withdrew and Argentina and Bolivia both declined a chance to return, according to an Autosport.com report. This has led ASO to begin talks to return to Africa. Dakar moved to South America in 2009 after the 2008 edition, which was to start in Lisbon and finish in Senegal, was cancelled due to terrorist threats.   

According to Auto Sport, talks have begun with countries in Africa.

"We have started work for several months to build contacts in other countries such as Algeria, Angola and Namibia,” Dakar Rally director Etienne Lavigne told Auto Sport. "We have made several trips to Algeria to meet with the political leaders and we know that there is a willingness to put together an event of this kind.”