Around 475 entries will line up at the start of the 35th Dakar Rally on January 4, to set off on a gruelling 9000km offroad endurance race spanning three countries. Only half of those are expected to reach the finish two weeks later.
The 2015 edition marks the seventh successive running of the historic race in South America which starts in Buenos Aires, loops up through Chile’s arid Atacama desert, on to Bolivia’s power-sucking altitude, and then returns for a finish in the Argentine capital on January 17. A total of 168 motorcycles, 142 cars, 98 quads and 66 trucks will take on the extreme conditions, but for this running organisers have mixed things up with some interesting changes.
For Dakar 2015, motorcycles and quads will be separated from cars and trucks for around 35 percent of total mileage, with different rest days and dedicated bivouac repair areas. This will not only offer safety for vulnerable bikers, but also allows the bigger four- and six-wheeled vehicles to race unencumbered by motorcycles which are sometimes slower on certain terrain.
MARATHON STAGES
Next year’s race also re-introduces special “marathon” stages, where for two days at a time competitors will be forced to fend for themselves without any team assistance. These stages are scheduled for the race’s second week.
This year’s overall winner Nani Roma will be back to defend his title in his All 4 Racing Mini, but he’ll have added pressure of seven other near identical Minis in his team to contend with. Peugeot, which had a successful string of Dakar wins between 1987 and 1990, will also make a historic return with three wild-looking 2008 DKR machines. Peugeot’s all-star driver lineup comprises Stéphane Peterhansel, Carlos Sainz, and Cyril Despres who’s making a switch from bikes to cars after winning five times on two wheels. This team shares a whopping 17 Dakar victories between them.
SA DRIVERS APLENTY
Heading up the South African presence will be usual Dakar front-runner and 2009 overall winner, Giniel de Villiers, again behind the wheel of a locally-built Toyota Hilux. Freshly-crowned SA Rally champion Leeroy Poulter will for the second time field Toyota SA’s second bakkie with SA navigator Rob Howie by his side. No less than ten other SA-made Hiluxes will make the start, entered by various international teams.
South African privateers Johan van Staden and Mike Lawrenson will compete in a locally-built Nissan Navara, and two Kyalami-based Thompson Motorsport-built Renault Dusters will compete at the hands of foreign drivers.
Two South African quad racers are entered under the Team Rhide SA banner in Brian Baragwanath and Hannes Saaijman, and with the help of sponsors Liqui Moly SA will race to raise awareness for the rhino poaching epidemic. Albert Hintenaus, Wessel Bosman and Riaan van Niekerk have all entered the two-wheel category - all with KTM bikes.
For more information visit the www.dakar.com website.
Star Motoring