DAKAR MOTORSPORT NEWS

The Dakar 2019 looms ever closer

Race organizers of the 2019 Dakar Rally have made public the first details of the forthcoming edition with the announcement that odyssey will play out entirely on Peruvian territory. The race will get underway on January 6 with the start scheduled to take place in the country’s capital Lima.

From Lima, the entourage will head south, covering the coastal region with stages in Pisco, San Juan de Marcona and Arequipa – places already visited in the most recent edition of the rally. In Moquegua will held the unique Marathon stage before arrive to Arequipa for the rest day that will be held on January 12 before the rally begins the return journey back to Lima with looping stages in San Juan de Marcona and Pisco. In total, about 5000 kilometres of race, where there will be 3000 km of special stages and about 2000 kilometres of liaison.

Technically, riders can expect tough days full of demanding navigation. Monster Energy Honda Team is deep in preparations for the Dakar, with a busy summer programme that will include three South American races this summer. First up is the Atacama Rally in Chile which is followed by the Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina, both of which have points which count towards the FIM World Championship. In addition the team is set to take part in the Inca Challenge in Peru, a Dakar Series event, to be held in September.

 

Date – Stage – Place
6 January – Starting ramp – Lima
7 January – Stage 1 – Lima – Pisco
8 January – Stage 2 – Pisco – San Juan de Marcona
9 January – Stage 3 – San Juan de Marcona – Arequipa
10 January – Stage 4 – Arequipa – Moquegua
11 January – Stage 5 – Moquegua – Arequipa
12 January – Rest Day – Arequipa
13 January – Stage 6 – Arequipa – San Juan de Marcona
14 January – Stage 7 – San Juan de Marcona – San Juan de Marcona
15 January – Stage 8 – San Juan de Marcona – Pisco
16 January – Stage 9 – Pisco – Pisco
17 January – Stage 10 – Pisco – Lima

Source: Hondaproracing