The Dakar Rally considered the world’s most grueling motorsport occasion, roars to life tomorrow for its forty seventh version in Saudi Arabia.
For the sixth yr operating, the dominion hosts the difficult race, the place merely ending is a monumental achievement.
This yr’s rally kicks off with a prologue in Bisha and ends in Shubaytah on Jan. 17.
Spanning 7,805 kilometers, together with 5,209 kilometers of timed racing, rivals will face harsh landscapes, from coastal plains to the Rub’ al Khali Desert’s countless dunes.
A standout problem this yr is the two-day marathon stage, the place drivers should attain one in every of six camps by 5 p.m. with minimal provides for an in a single day relaxation.
The following morning, they’ll race the ultimate leg of a punishing 965-kilometer stage, testing their endurance and ability.
Fierce contenders and legends
Among the legends, Stephane Peterhansel, with 14 Dakar titles (eight in vehicles and 6 on bikes), stays essentially the most embellished driver.
Defending champions Carlos Sainz (Spain, vehicles) and Ricky Brabec (USA, bikes) return, seeking to defend their crowns.
Sainz, who made historical past at 61 because the oldest Dakar winner, is again at 62, aiming for a fifth title.
Despite changing into a grandfather not too long ago, Sainz is in prime form and able to combat for victory. “I’m prepared physically and will give everything for a good race,” he stated, assured in his new Ford Raptor automotive.
While nobody has received with a manufacturing unit automotive since Ari Vatanen’s 1987 Peugeot victory, Sainz’s rivals are additionally fielding new machines.
Five-time winner Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar and nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb will pilot Dacia Sandriders, whereas one-time winner Nani Roma additionally returns in a Ford.
However, the race will miss the legendary Stephane Peterhansel, who retired after his 14th win final yr.
Bike battle
In the motorbike class, defending champion Brabec returns to defend his title. His most important rival could possibly be Botswana’s Ross Branch, final yr’s runner-up.
With a 434-strong area of vehicles, bikes, quads, and vans, the race guarantees to be an intense showdown throughout 12 levels.
The rally concludes on January 17 in Shubaytah, close to the UAE border.
Endurance and innovation
New for 2025, organizers have launched a second 48-hour stage by the Empty Quarter, a sea of sand stretching for miles.
The problem requires rivals to bivouac on the sand with out exterior help, mixing endurance with efficiency.
Race director David Castera describes it because the “rally of maturity” that can push rivals past their limits.
Since its inception in 1979, the Dakar Rally has witnessed each heroic victories and tragic losses.
Over the years, 33 rivals have died, alongside almost 50 different casualties, together with journalists and organizers.
Founder Thierry Sabine tragically misplaced his life in a helicopter crash through the 1986 race.
Once held in Africa, the rally moved to South America in 2009 and located a everlasting dwelling in Saudi Arabia in 2020. Today, it spans eight classes, together with vehicles, bikes, ATVs, and UTVs.
Saudi Arabia’s funding in motorsports, together with the Dakar Rally, is a part of a broader effort to diversify its economic system and construct a sporting legacy.
The kingdom additionally hosts a Formula One Grand Prix, high-profile boxing matches, and the world’s richest horse race.
Recently, it made headlines by being awarded the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Source: www.dailysabah.com