Carlos Sainz’s 2020 Dakar Rally victory at the wheel of a MINI X-Raid was a masterclass. The Spanish driver led from the front at the world’s toughest rally raid on unchartered and unforgiving desert terrain to claim a hat-trick of Dakar Rally wins. The 42nd edition of the Dakar Rally took place in Saudi Arabia for the […]
Prodrive has established a new company Prodrive International as they go into partnership with the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company to introduce a brand new team and car for the Dakar 2021 season. Prodrive has had a successful history in rally and circuit racing over the past decades with in-house built championship-winning cars, they will now further expand by introducing a […]
IndyCar driver Alexander Rossi admitted he was “relieved” Fernando Alonso didn’t win the Dakar Rally on his first try, as it shows even the most talented drivers in the world cannot jump from one racing class to another and win without any experience. Like Alonso, Rossi has been a busy man dabbling in many racing classes, […]
Fernando Alonso’s participation in the Dakar Rally might have ended with an underwhelming 13th place finish but the Spaniard has insisted he’s happy with his performance, refusing to comment on any future place at the event. The 2019 Dakar Rally was held in Saudi Arabia and won by Carlos Sainz Sr, the father of F1 […]
Drivers, riders teams & cars show how it is done While Dakar 2020 will ultimately be remembered for Carlos Sainz senior winning his third race in a third different make of car, Ricky Brabec taking his first bike win and Honda’s first since 1989 and also for the loss of the life of Dakar motorcycle […]
“Everything is well and prepared, looking forward to regaining ground.” That was the first message Alonso sent by ‘Instagram’ after completing the tenth stage with that turnaround that made him lose several pieces of his car and more than an hour. But he took it with philosophy, as evidenced by his smiling pose next to the Toyota. The same one […]
Honda’s Ricky Brabec has won the Dakar Rally for the first time while Toby Price claimed a fifth podium in six attempts. Brabec’s margin of victory in the Bikes class is 16:26s after he finished second to Monster Energy Honda team-mate Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo on Stage 12 from Haradh to Qiddiya. The event leader […]
Carlos Sainz has secured this third Dakar Rally victory in the 2020 edition of the event, held in Saudi Arabia for the first time ever.Two-time world rally champion Sainz, father of McLaren Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr, finished 6m21s clear of reigning champion Nasser Al-Attiyah after 12 stages. Representing X-raid Mini in this […]
Quintanilla built up a one-minute advantage in the early part of the 379km Shubaytah-Haradh test, but was chased down rapidly by KTM rider Matthias Walkner, who assumed a narrow one-second lead at the 324km way point. But the Chilean rider fought back in the final stretch to the finish line, taking the stage victory by […]
Stephane Peterhansel snatched a dramatic 11th stage of the Dakar Rally on Thursday when he pipped Nasser Al-Attiyah to the line by just 10 seconds.Frenchman Peterhansel won his fourth stage of this year’s race in his Mini ahead of Toyota’s Al-Attiyah in Haradh, and finished more than eight minutes ahead of overall leader and teammate […]
Extreme action all round with a day to go Dakar Saudi Arabia delivered another scintillating penultimate day of racing to see the lead battles tighten up following the closest of finishes in both the car and bike races on Thursday. Stephane Peterhansel beat Nasser Al Attiyah to win the car race by just ten seconds, […]
Sainz, Brabec in control after shortened stage Dakar 2020 has started to deliver its much-feared sting in the tail following a shortened stage 10 on Thursday that still delivered drama and then some on the road to Shubaytah. While the competitive stage was shortened to 223 of its intended 540km after gale force Arabian Desert […]
Honda rider Joan Barreda led Ricky Brabec in Stage 10 of the Dakar Rally, which was shortened due to weather conditions.The route from Haradh to Shubaytah was going to be 534 kilometres, but the competitive part of the stage ended at 345km due to strong wind, and the rest of the stage was neutralised. As […]
X-raid Mini driver Carlos Sainz has taken a commanding lead in the 2020 edition of the Dakar Rally after topping the 10th stage, which was suspended before the halfway point. The Haradh – Shubaytah test was due to feature 534 kilometres of timed competition in the Rub’ Al Khali desert, but worsening weather conditions forced […]
ge 10 was undoubtedly the most eventful of the 2020 Dakar. After a number of crashes, the event was brought to a standstill after 345km. According to our sources on the ground, the total of six evacuation helicopters are all occupied and the organisers can’t risk another accident happening. Weather conditions are also deteriorating. Roman […]
Dakar 2020 is developing into an absolute epic — not only did Mini star Stephane Peterhansel’s Mini buggy beat Toyota’s Nasser Al Attiyah to a sensational Day 9 win by all of 15 seconds, but Al Attiyah closed to just 24 seconds behind Carlos Sainz Sr.’s second Mini buggy at the top of the overall […]
DAKAR RALLY 2020 Saudi Arabia Stage 9 from Wadi Al Dawasir to Haradh Tuesday, January 14th 2020 13:45 Quintanilla wins in Haradh Pablo Quintanilla has enjoyed his best stage since the start of the rally to win the special with a lead of almost two minutes over Toby Price. As a result, he continues to […]
The three frontrunners of the 2020 marathon benefitted from an advantageous position in the running order for the 476km Wadi ad-Dawasir – Haradh stage, following their respective low-key finishes on Monday. But whereas Peterhansel and Al-Attiyah took full advantage, clocking in first and second at nearly every waypoint, Sainz suffered a costly five-minute loss shortly […]
Two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso recorded his best result of the Dakar Rally on Monday, finishing second behind Frenchman Mathieu Serradori on stage eight.The stage was shrouded in mourning after the death on Sunday of Portuguese rider Paulo Goncalves. The motorbike and quadbike categories were cancelled for the stage, a 477km loop incorporating […]
The 2020 Dakar Rally continued its relentless journey across Saudi Arabia on Stage 8 of the classic desert race. Leads came and went as competitors were forced to navigate a series of dunes amid spectacular scenery. It was another pulsating day of action in the car race with the leading trio even closer together after Stage […]
Racing from Wadi Al Dawasir to Wadi Al Dawasir over 477ms of dunes and canyons, double F1 World Champion Alonso, competing in his first-ever Dakar, set the pace.The Spaniard, driving a Toyota Hilux, was sitting top of the pile at the end of the stage with only Serradori still in the hunt. The Frenchman took […]
Toyota claims its Hilux 4×4 “can’t compete” with the X-raid-built Mini John Cooper Works Buggy on the Dakar Rally and that a rule change is needed to level the playing field between the two cars. At the halfway point of the first-ever Saudi Arabia-based edition of the legendary rally-raid, X-raid Mini driver Carlos Sainz Sr […]
First win for SA team as lead fight tightens Standalone South African race car maker Century scored an upset at Dakar 2020 Saudi Arabia when Frenchman Mattieu Serradori stormed to a convincing maiden stage win for the team over double world Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso and the might of Toyota and BMW-Mini aboard the […]
Goncalves, 40, was contesting his 13th Dakar for Indian manufacturer Hero, and was lying 46th overall as the rally resumed following Saturday’s rest day. During Sunday’s 546km Riyadh-Wadi Al Dawasir test, the Portuguese rider suffered a crash at the 276km mark at 10.16am local time. Fernando Alonso, the two-time Formula 1 world champion who is […]
Portuguese motorbike rider Paulo Goncalves has died after a crash during the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. The 40-year-old suffered the fatal accident after 276 kilometres (171 miles) of the seventh stage. A statement from organisers said he was pronounced dead in hospital having earlier been found unconscious after suffering a cardiac arrest. “The entire […]
Another strong day for Dakar Nissan crews Red-Lined Motoring Adventures enjoyed another good day on the desert in Sunday’s longest 546km stage of Dakar Saudi Arabia 2020 from Riyadh along a varied route to Wadi Al Dawasir. The team’s two Nismo-V8-powered Navara V8s powered home to see both cars climbing up the overall order as […]
But Dakar is marred by a tragic news The 2020 Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia has been rocked by the tragic news that Portuguese rider Paulo Gonçalves succumbed to injuries sustained in a fall sustained 276 kilometres into today’s special stage. The organisers received an alert at 10:08 and dispatched a medical helicopter that reached the […]
World’s toughest race gets to halfway mark Dakar 2020 reached its halfway point as the epic race stormed into Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh Friday evening, ahead of the traditional rest day there on Saturday as Carlos Sainz followed Mini teammate Stephane Peterhansel home to consolidate his overall car lead and Ricky Brabec extended his overall […]
Stephane Peterhansel took his second stage win of the Dakar Rally on Friday, completing the desert run from Ha’il to the Saudi capital of Riyadh 1m35s ahead of JCW X-Raid Mini teammate Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard retains a solid lead in the overall standings, however, 7m48s ahead of Toyota driver Nasser Al-Attiyah, who finished third […]
DAKAR RALLY 2020 Stage 6 from Ha’il to Riyadh Friday, January 10th 2020 Cars at the start 78 12:51 Alonso is battling well Fernando Alonso has been rather efficient on this 6th stage. The Spaniard is only 4 minutes behind Stéphane Peterhansel after 265 km of the special! 12:36 Peterhansel regains the lead Stéphane Peterhansel […]
Former champions both exited and returned to the 2020 Dakar Rally on a wild Stage 5 dominated by sandy terrain. With the Rest Day in Riyadh now just one day away, we’re witnessing world class offroaders assert their authority at the 42nd edition of the world’s toughest rally. A second consecutive stage win was achieved by […]
Best Dakar day yet for Bell, McMurran Red-Lined Motoring Adventures’ pair of Nissan Navaras enjoyed a positive day in Dakar 2020’s fifth stage race to Ha’il on Thursday. British Sabertooth duo Thomas Bell and Patrick McMurren delivered their best Dakar day yet as they powered from second last to 33rd on the day, while South […]
Tough Dakar day ends up all smiles TreasuryOne Motorsport endured another difficult day in the desert as Hennie de Klerk and Johan Smalberger overcame several scares and challenges to bring their Red-Lined Nissan Navara home 44th on the day to end up 40th overall at the end of the fifth stage of the Saudi Arabian […]
2nd on Stage 5 for Al Attiyah / Baumel 6th on Stage 5 for De Villiers / Haro 7th on Stage 5 for Alonso / Coma Stage 5 of the 2020 Dakar Rally saw the four TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews maintain their overall positions. Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel were again the fastest of the […]
Earlier in 2019, 2-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso announced that he would be participating in the prestigious Dakar Rally. However, the Spaniard insisted that his participation in the event is not a mere PR stunt, but a serious attempt to race in one of the most gruelling races. The Spaniard chose to step away […]
British motorcyclist Sam Sunderland has retired injured from the Dakar rally as Fernando Alonso lost more time in the car class. Sunderland, 30, was competing for KTM in the endurance event when he crashed, injuring his back and shoulder. He became the only Briton to win any class in the 42-year history of the Dakar rally […]
* Mini driver Sainz wins fifth stage to extend lead * Defending champion Al Attiyah second for Toyota * Sunderland crashes out of motorcycle race * Australian Price takes his second stage win Spaniard Carlos Sainz extended his Dakar Rally lead with a second stage win in five days on Thursday while Britain’s Sam […]
As the dust settles on a dramatic Stage 4 of the 2020 Dakar Rally, so the leaderboards across all five categories start to take shape. With close to 2,500 kilometres traversed through the stunning landscapes of Saudi Arabia, we’re beginning to see who has put themselves in pole position for glory at the first Middle […]
Ross Branch delivers a superhuman ride Most people never knew who Ross Branch was before Monday afternoon, but that all changed when Botswana’s multiple South African cross country champion rode his KTM to a shock Dakar Saudi Arabia second day victory. Branch’s glory was short lived as the Kalahari Ferrari took a tumble, […]
DAKAR RALLY 2020 Stage 4 Neom – Al-Ula Wednesday, January 8th 2020 Cars at start 73 12:50 Stam struggles After 4 Dakar starts in a truck between 2010 and 2013, Teun Stam is back at the wheel of a Toyota in the car category, but after a solid start that has put him in […]