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2013 Dakar rally will start on Saturday from Lima, Peru, for two weeks of tough racing to Santiago, Chile.
For the first time since its arrival in South America back in 2009, the Dakar will feature a « straight » road, replacing the loop Buenos Aires-Buenos Aires that was the basic of the event those last years. The drivers and riders will drive to south after the start in Peru, crossing the Andes moutains in one direction to reach Argentinia, then in another direction to go back to Chile for an arrival in Santiago on 20 january.
Winner of last year's race, Stéphane Peterhansel, who won the event ten times (six times on motorbike, four times driving a car), is again the main favorite. The frenchman will be the number one driver of the MINI team X-Raid, which will also run Juan Roma, Leonid Novitskiy and Krysztof Holowczyc. The german team seems to have no rival on this year's race, but Robby Gordon will be ready to fight for victory, driving his Hummer. The NASCAR driver is looking for a revenge, after he was excluded from last year's race for technical irregularity.
Two former Dakar winners will be at the start, as Nasser Al Attiyah and Carlos Sainz will join forces driving both a buggy. The cars were developed in California by Nasser Al Attiyah and his technical staff, with the backing of the Qatar. Their former Volkswagen team mate Giniel de Villiers, who also won the Dakar in 2009, will enter the race driving a Pick Up Hilux Toyota 4x4.
About 450 vehicules, including cars, motorbikes and trucks will start from Lima on Saturday. Three canadians will be present, as car driver David Bensadoun will enter his second Dakar driving a Desert Warrior 4x4, and Patrick Beaulé and Don Hatton will both ride a KTM on the event.
For the first time since its arrival in South America back in 2009, the Dakar will feature a « straight » road, replacing the loop Buenos Aires-Buenos Aires that was the basic of the event those last years. The drivers and riders will drive to south after the start in Peru, crossing the Andes moutains in one direction to reach Argentinia, then in another direction to go back to Chile for an arrival in Santiago on 20 january.
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| Photo: Dakar.com |
Winner of last year's race, Stéphane Peterhansel, who won the event ten times (six times on motorbike, four times driving a car), is again the main favorite. The frenchman will be the number one driver of the MINI team X-Raid, which will also run Juan Roma, Leonid Novitskiy and Krysztof Holowczyc. The german team seems to have no rival on this year's race, but Robby Gordon will be ready to fight for victory, driving his Hummer. The NASCAR driver is looking for a revenge, after he was excluded from last year's race for technical irregularity.
Two former Dakar winners will be at the start, as Nasser Al Attiyah and Carlos Sainz will join forces driving both a buggy. The cars were developed in California by Nasser Al Attiyah and his technical staff, with the backing of the Qatar. Their former Volkswagen team mate Giniel de Villiers, who also won the Dakar in 2009, will enter the race driving a Pick Up Hilux Toyota 4x4.
About 450 vehicules, including cars, motorbikes and trucks will start from Lima on Saturday. Three canadians will be present, as car driver David Bensadoun will enter his second Dakar driving a Desert Warrior 4x4, and Patrick Beaulé and Don Hatton will both ride a KTM on the event.