Dakar: a brief introduction

DAKAR

a brief introduction

Recognized as the greatest rally raid in the world and one of the biggest motorsports events on the planet.

The Dakar is more than just a race and represents the ultimate human and sporting adventure taking place over a period of 10 to 15 days each year through several thousand kilometers of some of the most difficult hostile and majestic terrain on the planet. The events bring together both amateur and professional competitors in a test of human endurance and spirit its man, machine and nature against each other in an epic challenge. Here just getting across the finish line is a huge achievement.

History of Dakar

1997 Behind the Scene:

Thierry Sabine

The history of the Dakar dates back to 1977 when the idea of the adventure began motorcycle racer Thierry Sabine, who found himself lost in the Libyan Desert during the Abidjan-Nice Rally. Saved from the sands, he returned to France still in thrall to this landscape and promising himself he would share his fascination with as many people as possible. 

He proceeded to come up with a route starting in Europe continuing to Algiers and crossing Agadez before eventually finishing at Dakar.

The Founder coined a motto for his inspiration:

“A challenge for those who go a dream, for those who stay behind”

 Courtesy of his great conviction and that modicum of madness peculiar to all great ideas.

First Race:

Cyril Neveu: Yamaha 500 XT

The dream quickly became a reality. On the 26th of December 1978, 182 vehicles turned up in the Place du Trocadero in Paris for a ten-thousand-kilometers journey into the unknown for the inaugural race. Among the seventy-four trailblazers who made it to the Senegalese capital Cyril Neveu at the handlebars of a Yamaha 500 XT wrote the opening entry on the honors list of the greatest rally in the world. Since then, the race has continued to adapt and evolve going beyond what's been done before winning over the public with stories of ordinary adventurers defining the wilderness with limited resources.

Death of Dakar Rally Founder:

Sadly in 1986 the race lost its founder an inspiration Thierry Sabine who died as he lived chasing in the Sahara Desert. During the running of that year's race his helicopter crashed into dunes during a sandstorm whilst out searching for vehicles. His legacy lived on however and the race that he inspired has grown into the biggest annual Rally Raid event in the world.

A race that has taken place every year since its inception except for 2008. When it was cancelled due to security concerns. With each year's edition of the race new pages have been written into the history of this remarkable event. With each telling a story of extraordinary feats of human endeavor and featuring some names in legend. Name such as Stephan Peter Hansel who has won the race an incredible 13 times with victories in both the motorcycle and car classes. Our Ari Vatanen who won the race in four consecutive years in the cars category from 1987 to 1991. As well as Jutta Kleinschmiat who in 1998 became the first female to win a stage in Dakar. Later going on to do even better when in 2001 behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi she became the first woman to win the overall event.

Looking back, it is a history that to date can be divided into three distinct chapters shaped by the lands through which it has journeys and the people it has touched.

THREE Chapters of History 🗒️

Chapter I: Africa

From its early and inspired beginnings journeying out of Europe and into the harsh yet beautiful conditions of the African continent. The race grew in legend and stature spanning 30 countries and winning over fans and competitors alike. All bound by a spirit of adventure and willingness to journey into the unknown. The success of the events and its growing worldwide popularity however also brought with its growing security concerns.

 This culminated in 2008, when the dark shadow of terrorism costs itself over what would have been the 30th edition of the race forcing its cancellation that year. However, the spirit of the Dakar which had its origins on the African continent was to live on elsewhere.

Chapter II: South America

2009 saw the Dakar rise from the Ashes reborn on the South American continent sand lovingly embraced by the millions of loyal and passionate motorsport fans that live there. It was a chapter that lasted a decade in which time the race crossed the continent from the Pacific to the Atlantic spanning Argentina Chile Peru Bolivia and Paraguay. Each year legions of fans (about 4 million) lined the roads of Dakar to watch competitor’s battle to the unique and challenging conditions of the South American landscapes. From vast deserts to amazing Highland’s salt flats and floods. The land of the people of South America firmly etched their place in the history of the Dakar.

Chapter III: Middle East

2020 marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Dakar history with the race now shifting to the Middle East the desert sands of Saudi Arabia appear to look like a return to the origins of the Dakar and it's set to write new tales of this legendary adventure.

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