The Circuit de Dakar Baobabs is the first permanent racing facility in western Africa, standing at the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, in the middle of the African Savanah. The hot-arid tropical climate of the region is unique because of its exotic flora and fauna. The word Baobabs in the circuit's name refers to a typical species of tall trees with wide trunks native to the Ferlo Desert. The 2.92-mile (4.7-km) track surface remains dry and dusty for eight months, and special tires are only in order during the rainy season from July to October, although rainfall is scarce even during that season.  

There are 21 corners in the Circuit de Dakar Baobabs, most of them sweepers, allowing high-performance racecars to maintain a frantic pace of 95 mph (152 km/h) on average. There is plenty of open space around the track, which runs across relatively flat terrain. Visibility is quite good due to the lack of sudden elevation changes in the trajectory. Some of the corners allow racers to pass at 180 km/h (111 mph), and the top speed of the circuit is near 230 km/h (142 mph).