The annual Dakar Rally is scheduled to begin this Saturday,
January 6, essentially kicking off the 2018 racing season. A total of 14 stages are expected to be run, commencing in Lima,
Peru, crossing into Bolivia and ending Saturday, January 20, in Cordoba,
Argentina. A single rest day will be observed Thursday, January 11, in La Paz,
Bolivia.
This will be the 10th year in which the Dakar Rally will be contested
in South America. The race’s origins began in Europe and Africa, most years
beginning and/or ending in Dakar, Senegal. The race moved to South America in 2009,
after concerns of possible terrorist attacks that resulted in organizers
cancelling the 2008 Dakar Rally. The 2008 race was replaced, by organizers (Amaury
Sport Organisation), with the Central Europe Rally.
Peru is hosting stages for the first time since 2013 and second time
overall, while Argentina is part of the event for the 10th consecutive year
(and fifth time as the ending point). Bolivia returns for the fifth consecutive
Dakar Rally.
Below are some of the statistics related to this year’s Dakar Rally,
as well as some specifics to the entry list.
Statistics
– Staging the Dakar Rally
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Categories: 5 (Bikes, Quads, Cars, SxS, Trucks)
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Stages: 14
o
7 stages of dunes and off-road competition
o
1 marathon stage for all categories and 1 stage
for bikes/quads only
o
Longest Stage: Wednesday, January 10 – San Juan
de Marcona to Arequipa, Peru
§
Cars/SxS/Trucks: 934 kilometers/580.3 miles (268
kilometers/166.5 miles special)
§
Bikes/Quads: 774 kilometers/480.9 miles (266
kilometers/165.2 miles special)
§
Both routes will include a mixture of different geographical
features and terrains (mountains, dunes, public roads)
o
Shortest Stage: Saturday, January 6 – Lima to
Pisco, Peru
o
5 days featuring altitudes at more than 3000
meters/9842 feet above sea level
-
Distance: Approximately 9,000 kilometers/approximately
5,600 miles
-
Countries: 3
o
Peru (Lima, Pisco, San Juan de Marcona,
Arequipa)
o
Bolivia (La Paz, Uyuni, Tupiza)
o
Argentina (Salta, Belén, Fiambalá/Chilecito, San
Juan, Cordoba)
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Spectators:
o
4,000,000 expected to see at least a part of the
event
o
Nearly 50 specially-equipped spectator zones
Statistics
– Entries
-
Competitors (Drivers/Co-Drivers/Riders/Mechanics):
536
o
Breakdown by Category: Bikes (141), Quads (49), Cars
(189), SxS (25), Trucks (132)
o
Former Race Winners (Competing in Car Category):
§
Stephane Peterhansel (13 – 7 in cars, 6 in bikes),
Cyril Despres (5 – all in bikes), Nassar Al-Attiyah (2), Nani Roma (2 – 1 in
cars, 1 in bikes), Giniel de Villiers (1), Carlos Sainz (1),
o
Former Race Winners (Competing in Bike
Category):
§
Sam Sunderland (1), Toby Price (1)
o
World Rally Champions: Carlos Sainz (2), Sebastien
Loeb (9)
o
Nationalities: 44
o
Countries with at Least One Driver (doesn’t
include mechanics): 44 – United
Kingdom, Austria, Spain, France, Argentina, Australia, Slovakia, Chile, Bolivia,
Italy, Czech Republic, Portugal, Romania, Andorra, South Africa, Netherlands, India,
Poland, Peru, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Japan, Serbia, Lithuania, Lesotho,
Slovenia, Colombia, Canada, United States, China, Belgium, Hungary, Russia, Paraguay,
Kazakhstan, Costa Rica, Brazil, Qatar, Finland, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Ecuador,
Lebanon, Israel
§
Breakdown by Category: Bikes (33); Quads (13);
Cars (28); SxS (7); Truck (15)
§
Country with Most Entrants (All Categories, All
Competitors):
§
Countries with Competitors in All Five
Categories: 1 (France)
o
From the United States: 7
§
Car (2): Bryce Menzies, Peter Mortensen
§
Bike (5): Ricky Brabec, Andrew Short, Mark
Samuels, Shane Esposito, Bill Conger
o
Women: 11
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Competitors (Manufacturers): 43 (each
manufacturer is considered different, for example, Yahama is listed under
Bikes, Quads and SxS, as three separate entities)
o
Bikes: 7 (Hero, Honda, Husqvarna, KTM, Sherco,
Yamaha, Gas Gas, Kawasaki)
o
Quads: 5 (Yamaha, Barren Racer, Honda, Can-Am,
IBOS)
o
Cars: 16 (Mini, Peugeot, Toyota, Ford, Borgward,
Renault, Buggy, Springbok MD, Chevrolet, Volvo, BMW, Opel, Nissan, Jeep, Isuzu)
o
SxS: 3 (Yamaha, Can-Am, Polaris)
o
Trucks: 12 (Iveco, Kamaz, HINO Trucks, TATRA,
MAZ, Renault Trucks, LIAZ, DAF, Scania AB, MAN SE, Mercedes-Benz, GINAF)
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Competitors (Vehicles):
o
Bikes: 141
o
Quads: 49
o
Cars: 92
o
SxS: 11
o
Trucks: 44
Sources:
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Dakar Rally official website – www.dakar.com
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2018 Dakar Rally – Wikipedia
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