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The Dakar, originally known as Paris Dakar, is definitely the most exciting rally challenge, tough and known in the world. Next January, for the third consecutive edition, the race will be hosted by Saudi Arabia. Let's see together the history, curiosities and characteristics of an event that brings with it meanings that go beyond the perimeter of motorsport.

Dakar Rally: the history of the toughest race

The Paris-Dakar was conceived by the French driver Thierry Sabine, French car driver who in 1976 thought of a race from Paris to the capital of Senegal when he got lost in the desert during the Abidjan-Nice race. The first edition of the Paris-Dakar was held in 1979 and in 1992 the competition even reached the capital of South Africa, Cape Town.

In 2008, the Paris-Dakar was not held for dangers related to the action of terrorist organizations in Mauritania. That year, four French tourists were killed in the country, which was supposed to host as many as eight special stages of the competition.

Since 2009, for the first time, it has been the South American continent to host the famous rally, with the departure from Buenos Aires,the turning point in Valparaíso and the return to the Argentine capital.

The forty-fourth edition of the race, today known as The Dakar, will take place from 2 to 14 January next. For the third consecutive time, the rally will behosted by Saudi Arabia starting from Hail, arriving in Jeddah and a day of rest in Riyadh.

Let's see together five curiosities or characteristics that tell the story and future prospects of the toughest and most fascinating race in the world.

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1. The Dakar is the most dangerous race in the world

The competition is known as the most exciting and tough for the numerous special stages, the long and winding path. Therefore, a challenge first of all against danger, which seriously tests the courage and skills of the pilots. It is said that at the bivoucs among the participants circulates the phrase "to get there first, you must first finish the race". Dakar is not only synonymous with triumphs and epic victories, but -unfortunately- also of tragedies and pains. If we also consider the victims among the public, journalists and - in general - insiders, since the first edition there are 76 people who have lost their lives,of which 31 were participants in the competition as pilots. The edition with the most victims was that of 1986, in which five people were killed in a helicopter accident in Mali, including the organizer Thierry Sabine.

2. The protagonism of women in the rally

It was the German driver Jutta Kleinschimdt the first (and so far only) woman to win the Paris-Dakar competition in 2001, with a Mitsubishi Pajero. But the participation of women in the race has been important since the first edition in 1979, with seven motorcyclists at the start. The Italian-French rider Camelia Liparoti aboard a quad bike came in ninth place in 2012. Today, the Spanish Laia Sanz is the most established and lively driver of the competition, with 9 participations since 2011 and excellent results achieved.

3. Fernando Alonso: from Formula1 to Dakar

The 2020 edition of the Dakar was certainly embellished by the participation of the two-time world champion in Formula1 Fernando Alonso. The Spanish driver finished all 12 stages of the rally, finishing in thirteenth place,despite a spectacular accident, with a double overturning, which decisively limited his performance.

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4. Ari Vetanen, Jean Todt and the yellow of the stolen car in Mali

The Paris Dakar will never be a race like any other. Its history does not contain only sporting facts, but real adventures that will remain forever in the identity of this competition. The one that happened in the eleventh edition is a real yellow, with the car of the driver Ari Vetanen stolen during the stop in the stage in Bamako,in Mali. The Finnish driver saw his Peugeot 405 T16"disappear" without leaving any trace, when he was one step away from the finish line, with a huge advantage over everyone. At the time Jean Todt was a young manager of the Renault team and actively participated in the search for the car, which was later found in the Bamako countryside, but too late to allow Vetanen to continue the competition.

5. 2030: the sustainable horizon of the Dakar

In recent years the Dakar is advancing significantly in reducing theenvironmental impact of the race. In 2020, for the first time, the competition was characterized by the creation of a T1-E category, reserved for prototypes of experimental cars with renewable alternative energies.In 2023 the debut of the first hydrogenvehicle is expected , while the goal for 2030 is that of a competition without fossil combustion engines.

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