Dakar 2009 : Dakar

19-12-2008 - The Grand Benelux has reached its destination

The Grand Benelux has reached its destination

Many freighters arrive daily in the harbour of Delta Dock situated a hundred kilometres from Buenos Aires. This is exactly where the Grand Benelux was to complete a very special mission that started in the French harbour of Le Havre on December 2nd: to carry the vehicles of the European competitors of the 2009 Dakar. The ship arrived on December 18th at 4 a.m. Once the ship was moored, the 820 vehicles onboard could be landed. From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., 13 staff of the Dakar and fifty dockers unloaded the Grand Benelux. At the time of the inventory, only a few flat tyres or batteries had slowed down the operation. All the vehicles were then placed in the Parc Fermé where the competitors will come and pick them up on December 30th and 31st.

19-12-2008 - THE QUAD RACE: ON MACHACEK’S TAIL

Once you have ridden a quad over dunes of sand, it often provokes an insatiable appetite for more. These unique thrills have won over a growing number of riders, who enrol for the Dakar in spite of the physical difficulties that the challenge involves, on machines heavier and slower than motorbikes. This year, the record for registrations has been beaten with 27 vehicles ready for starter’s orders in Buenos Aires (against 13 quads enrolled in 2008).

Whilst most of them are mainly attracted by the chance to discover the landscape of South America, this increase in competitors is also likely to intensify the battle for victory. In this new context, what will the reaction be like from Josef Machacek, the unrivalled king of the discipline, with four victories on the Dakar (2000, 2001, 2003 and 2007)? To get an idea of the Czech rider’s virtuosity, it should be remembered that the last time he won the Dakar he finished five hours ahead of his nearest rival, completing the race without assistance. During 2008, Machacek came up trumps again in similar conditions, adding a new feather to his cap with victory in June in the Trans-oriental.

There will never by too many Spanish pretenders for Machacek’s crown, trying to depose him from his throne. Carlos Avendaño and Jose Maria Peña, 2nd and 3rd in the category in 2007, it just so happens, will once again be on the lookout on the loop through Argentina and Chile. The Iberian trio is completed by Joan Manuel Gonzalez, who took advantage of Machacek’s withdrawal to claim victory in 2006. Team Polaris could also be a threat. They will be entering four quads this year and hope to be able to compete with Yamaha. Hubert Deltrieu, the fastest quad rider during the Central Europe Rally, continued his season with another triumph on the Rally of the Pharaohs and a 2nd-placed finish on the Pax Rally. The task for the French lead rider for Polaris will be to confirm his team’s reputation as an up-and-coming force.

Lastly, there will be a race within the race, between the three women in the category. Between Corinne Dubois, Elizabeth Kraft and Camelia Liparoti, it will also be a question of honour: one of them could become the first woman to finish the Dakar behind the handlebars of a quad.

17-12-2008 - Zoom : Bertrand Domet (161 - YAM)

«Our father put me and my brother on a motorcycle when we were very young. I was five years old. It then became a passion. » When the father, Philippe did the Dakar in 1995, the next chapter in the story was written.

Read the bio...

12-12-2008 - The Dakar at sea

While the competitors complete their fitness preparation, the vehicles left the French port town of Le Havre after the “verifications” and are heading to Buenos Aires. Joined by telephone on the “Grand Benelux”, Jacque-Henry Couette reported on how the trip is going as it reaches the half-way point.

«I have gained two kilograms since we left », said Jacques-Henry Couette, who is obviously being well looked after by the Italian team with whom he left from Le Havre on the Grand Benelux on December 1st, to make the three week crossing of the Atlantic to Zarata, some 100kms from Buenos Aires. After the technical and administrative verifications were completed, 820 vehicles in all, including organisation and press vehicles, were loaded into the imposing cargo ship. For his first long crossing, Jacques-Henry has been given the mission by the Dakar team of taking care of their precious cargo during this unique voyage.

The first days at sea were the most delicate for this young sailor, who had to confront the swell of the Bay of Biscay: “For four days there was a minimum of four people continuously in the hold to make sure the vehicles were well secured. The swaying of the ship, classic in this zone, required us to pay particular attention.” Once he made it through this learning period, which was accompanied by a permanent case of sea-sickness, the daily routine of our floating car park attendant calmed down considerably. ”Since, the sea has been beautiful and we’ve only had to make one complete tour of the hold each morning. The only problem we have had to confront is the deflating of the truck tyres, which obliges us to put the trucks on blocks, and then redo the straps so the tyres don’t come off the wheel rims. Now, we’ve got the technique down pat”. 

After ten days at sea, the Grand Benelux has nearly reached the half-way point and has just crossed the equator. The cargo ship can reach an average speed of 17 knots, but the voyage seems far from over for Jacques-Henry, who during the rally will be in charge of the motorcycle trunks: “I am making good use of my free-time to learn Spanish, I have brought along the Assimil method. As for the rest, I beginning to get a little tired of having to climb the hundred steps to reach the bridge. Paradoxically, while being in the middle of the sea we lack space! I think that when I arrive the first thing I will do is go for a run. And then, I will find myself a terrace and have a nice cold beer. During this time, his friends will take over for the unloading.

04-12-2008 - The "Grande Benelux" progresses at a high pace...

The "Grande Benelux", the ship of the organisation transporting the 800 vehicles of the 2009 Dakar, is now off Lisbonne! Her average speed is 17 knots.

The crew and the staff from ASO onboard will regularly give you information on the ship’s position.

04-12-2008 - Official launch in Chile and Argentina

Etienne Lavigne officially launched the Dakar on Wednesday and Thursday in Chile and Argentina in the marvelous set of the French Ambassy in Santiago and Buenos Aires.

Each time, more than 200 people (media, competitors, partners, officials) came up to listen to the presentation of the director of the Dakar. In Chile, Francisco Vidal, Ministre general secretary of the government of Michelle Bachelet also spoke. And in Argentina, Enrique Meyer, state secretary of turism talked too. 

Both of them renewed all of their support to the rally talking about the great “showcase” that the Dakar will represent for Chile and Argentina.

27-11-2008 - The Dakar boards for South America

Next stop, Buenos Aires ! The administrative and technical scrutineering for the Europeans finishes Thursday evening at Le Havre where the last of the 710 vehicles will go through a mandatory series of checks. 

From then on the machines will be waiting at the Parc Fermé at the harbour of Le Havre, ready to board. The ‘Grande Benelux’, the boat that will be crossing the Atlantic Ocean is expected at Le Havre on Sunday evening. The first machines will enter the ship on Monday at 6 in the morning.

 Some 820 vehicles will then be placed on board (710 for the race and assistance as well as around 60 organisation vehicles and 50 for media) for a departure scheduled on Monday evening.

The starting point of a journey that will finish the 16th or 17th of December at Zarate, the harbour of the Argentinean capital. Around a hundred vehicles (Asians, Americans, South Americans and top teams) will go through their technical scrutineering in Buenos Aires the 31st of December and 1st of January.

A first row rider
Former prop of the French National rugby team, Christian Califano went through administrative and technical scrutineering this morning. “It’s a first test managed with success’’, commented the rugby player who will be taking part in his first Dakar on a Yamaha 450 WRF. “Physically the preparation for the Dakar is similar to that for a rugby World Cup”, he also explained. After the recent victory of France over Argentina at Marseille (12-6), he might not be warmly welcomed to Buenos Aires.

Latvia finally makes it
At last! Latvia’s Riga Rally-Raid team finally made it to Le Havre on Thursday morning, 24 hours after the time they were supposed to go through scrutineering. A snow storm in the Baltic countries and in Poland forced the team members to change their plans. Instead of driving their three buggies to Le Havre, they had to put them on trucks. Concerning their assistance truck, it was sent to Le Havre by ferry. Time of the trip: two and a half days!

From car to quad…
Of course the number of wheels is the same but the machine isn’t quite similar. Seeing the time it took to prepare his car, Ukrainian Vadym Nesterchuk had to take a quick and radical decision on Wednesday: he will do the Dakar on quad, a good friend of his lending him one. The problem is that Vadym isn’t exactly a quad specialist. ‘’He has one month to train’’ explained his reassuring friend and compatriot Yuriy Gzenbenyuk, who will be doing the Dakar in a truck.

26-11-2008 - The road to Buenos Aires goes through Le Havre

A first series of technical and administrative scrutineering started today at the docks of Le Havre. In two days, close to 720 vehicles will be fully checked, that’s 80% of the total of cars, bikes, quads, trucks and assistance vehicles that will take part in the 2009 edition of the Dakar.

Only most of the professional competitors as well as the non-Europeans will not be present. The others will leave their machines in Normandy to be shipped during over three weeks across the Atlantic Ocean to reach the South American continent.

Two hundred people - volunteers and employees – are busy making sure that all the vehicle documents are in order. Another series of scrutineering, more focused on the competitors will take place in Buenos Aires on the eve of the start of the rally.

A real survival kit
On the Dakar, everything is set up to guarantee the fastest possible assistance to the lost competitors or those suffering accidents: GPS, satellite phones, Iritrack, distress signal beacons, red hand lights, luminous sticks and a main map of South America. As explains Monique Faucherre, a.k.a “miss beacon” (photo): “If with all that we don’t find you on the Dakar tracks, you’ll have asked for it!”

Scrutineering, how it works…
First stage for the competitors present at Le Havre, the administrative checks: a passage by the accounting stand, then a detour by the boarding counter for the transport issues for the vehicles and finally a stop at the security material. The vehicles are meanwhile fully checked: harness, hoop, chassis, lights and tires are therefore examined.

The pros absent at Le Havre
Unlike the amateurs, most of the professional teams will send their vehicles to Argentina later during the month of December in order for their drivers to train more. No Mitsubishi, Volkswagen or BMW therefore at the Le Havre docks. They will be sent to Buenos Aires by plane. Only the assistance vehicles of these teams will go through the Normandy scrutineering.

Blood rhesus on cars
The competitors are asked to stick their blood group rhesus on their vehicles, by their names, in order to allow a quick intervention in case of an accident requiring a blood transfusion.

25-11-2008 - The Dakar rally launch in Le Havre

The Dakar Argentina Chile 2009 will start in Buenos Aires on January 3rd. Before competing over more than 9000 km, european competitors have to send their vehicle to Argentina.

It’s in Le Havre (France), on Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th, where the vehicle will go through technical scruteenerings before boarding on December 1st. Those technical scruteenerings will take place at the Docks Café in le Havre and will be open to the public on Wednesday and Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM.

05-11-2008 - ARGENTINA - CHILE 2009: 100% DAKAR

Find the detailed route here

Find the list of the competitors here

Etienne Lavigne, director of the Dakar, officially presented to the press this morning the detailed route of the Dakar Argentina Chile 2009.

After more than a hundred days of reconnaissance, the sporting team invites participants to evaluate their skills on over 9500km 100% Dakar including 5650 km of special. Dunes, fesh fesh sand, limitless roads, mountains...all the ingredients will be there to remind competitors that the arrival in Buenos Aires on January 17 will be hard-won. The plains of Patagonia, the Atacama Desert and the passageway through the Andes Mountains – all in the heat of the austral summer – will provide an ideal setting for testing the endurance of pilots committed to the Dakar 2009.

And many have responded to the call. On the morning of January 3rd, 530 teams will take off from Buenos Aires: 230 motos, 30 quads, 188 cars and 82 trucks, representing 49 nationalities. The figures for this South American Dakar are amazing.

In addition, the elite of worldwide rally-raiding will meet to fight it out over these new territories. Mitsubishi’s title will be up for grabs against their major rivals at Volkswagen, BMW and Team Gordon. In T2, we will find Toyota and Nissan looking for a highly coveted victory. On the two-wheeler side, KTM will turn out in force to maintain its domination of the discipline. All the best truck teams will be there, too: Kamaz, Tatra, Hino, Mercedes, Ginaf, and the title-holder Man will vie for first place.

The enthusiasm emanating from the Dakar 2009 contestants finds an even greater echo in the Argentinians and Chileans, who show exceptional eagerness for the rally.

The Dakar exists above all because of a longing for discovery and a capacity to confront the unknown. By crossing the ocean, the rally is ready for an experience that is true to its values and temperament. 100% Dakar : it is the quality of the challenge offered to the competitors with one idea always in mind: human adventure, extreme adventure.

16-10-2008 - RECOS DAY 11

We are going slower now because the two stages we just finished have a lot of sand. Yes : sand dunes are everywhere !

The landscapes are still amazing and we have time to see it because we are going slower : our truck and cars are getting stuck on the sand quite often !

Be also careful with slow punctures : spines as big as fingers eventually managed to destroy our tires.

We are getting close to our goal : two more stages to go and then back to work at the office !

10-10-2008 - RECOS DAY 10

We just passed Puerto Madryn and are on our way to Jacobacci.

The Dakar director just joined us along with journalists from Eurosport and French tv. So you’ll see some of the reco on TV soon.

This stage is the first big one of our trip and will be the first long stage of the rally.
The only delay we have on our trip is coming from the fences. Indeed, Patagonia is made of huge properties closed by fences gates. The gates will of course be open during the rally but it takes time to write them all down so we put someone at each of them during the race.

Patagonia landscape is wonderful especially with the great lakes full of animals (flamingos,…) looking at our cars pass through. 

07-10-2008 - RECOS DAY 9

The reco team is on the road again to finish the road book of this Dakar « made in » Argentina and Chile.

We are gone for 3 weeks of adventure in the South part of Argentina that will become the biggest part of the first week of the race.

We are in Santa Rosa where the first bivouac of the Dakar will be. We just ended the speciale that wasn’t too difficult. It will allow everybody to enter the competition easily.

We’ll start our journey to Puerto Madryn for the second stage that will be the last “easy” stage before the first difficult parts.

16-09-2008 - RECOS DAY 8

After a night at the race track of La Rioja where the bivouac will be, we are on our way to Cordoba. The landscape has changed : sand and dunes are gone and dirt and trees are now around us. The end of the rally looks like the arrivals in Senegal. Indeed, we have the forests, the fast dirt roads… without the boaboabs !

But a huge new element changes the scenery: the cactus !!! It’s really incredible to see, on the first 200 kilometres, those forests of 4 metres high cactus… Looks like the doctors will have a lot of tweezers work with the bikers at the bivouac at night.

Once we get to Cordoba, we’ll go back home to rest and write down the final version of the road book.

Some people will work on the cars in order to allow us to come back at the end of October to finish the road book with the first week of the rally.

15-09-2008 - RECOS DAY 7

We are almost done with the speciale Fiambala – La Rioja that seems to be quite tough. The numbers of difficulties made us take the motorbike out in order to find the right path.

The warm welcome at each village we cross is quite incredible. That passion, just for our two cars and truck, lets us imagine the joy when the rally will go through. 

Time for us to go back on the road, the car is ready to go again (the engine support…). We have only one car left because a rock hidden under some grass broke the other one. Hopefully, it will be ready to go on our next trip in October to finish the Argentinean road book.

14-09-2008 - RECOS DAY 6

Here we are in Argentina and we got lucky because a beautiful sun kept us company during our trip at 4600m altitude.

Everybody is in love with that road section that seems to be one of the most beautiful and surprising of the next Dakar. And of the last past ones as well !

11-09-2008 - RECOS DAY 5

Yesterday, we tought that we would cross the dunes in 6 hours… Well, 6 hours became 12 !!!

Indeed, the sand dunes of Copiapo are a lot harder than what we thought.

Our average was very slow because of the difficulty… and the beautiful landscape ! We stopped quite often to watch the amazing scenery of Chile.

Tomorrow, we’ll finish the speciale from Copiapo to Fiambala and cross the Andes to get to Fiambala in Argentina. The border just opened again after being close for three days because of the snow.

09-09-2008 - RECOS - DAY 4

We covered about 260 kilometres today which is a very good pace. But, we knew that this part of the speciale Copiapo – Copiapo was quite fast.

And it’s a good thing because the last 100 kms looks difficult.

Our bivouac is set up at the bottom of the dunes in order to start that last part at early morning when the sand is more carrying.

Our mechanical problems keep annoying us as the engine support broke again. We have to spent the evening working on it.

Tomorrow, we will arrive in Copiapo and will leave again into the next speciale that will take us to Argentina after the amazing crossing of the Andes.

08-09-2008 - RECOS DAY 3

We are actually on the dunes, North of Copiapo. The place is just extraordinary. We are riding sand dunes as we have never seen before.

Everybody is in love with the scenery but a little tired too because we had our first delays. Four hours to drive through 40kms of sand, camel grass and dunes in front of us.

We are undergoing our first mechanical problems with the break of one of the engine support on one of our cars. The whole team worked on it and fast, everything was fine again.

Tonight, we stay on a bivouac in a canyon after a 1800 meters descent absolutely magic !

07-09-2008 - RECOS DAY 2

We told you yesterday that it was cold and sometimes rainy but we thought that it would stop going North of La Serena.

Indeed, rain there is very rare. There is often fog in the morning but almost never rain. Never… except yesterday night when it rained for 3 hours. The population of the village where we stopped welcomed that rain with a concert of klaxons. Indeed, they’ve been waiting for rain for the past 11 years.

Today, it’s sunny (but cold) and we keep going North. After the hills we will find sand, vast landscapes and of course dunes !

Tomorrow, we’ll tell you more about our adventure on the ocean of dunes north of Copiapo. But it will be nothing compares to what you will live next January. Because, if the temperature will be 14 degrees for us, you’ll ride the dunes under 45 degrees !!!

05-09-2008 - RECOS - DAY 1

Here we are in the first chilian speciale. Winter is here (we are in the South Hemisphere) : cold and rain came along with us on our first day.

With that bad weather, we were all scared of the bivouac to come and were looking for some dry place at night time. We got lucky and what could have been a humid and sad evening ended up as a very good time. Indeed, a school where the 25 students stayed over night welcomed us.

They finished their school work very fast to climb on our cars, truck and surf the internet on our computers. Then, it was time for a photo session when we gathered all the material from memories from the last recos.

A very good and special evening that only the Dakar and the recos can offer us.

Tomorrow, we’ll keep working on our way to La Serena, the finish of that first stage with a wonderful bivouac on the Pacific Ocean.

Hasta pronto ! 

04-09-2008 - THE DAKAR RECO

Here we are on our way to accomplish the last reconnaissance in South America.

Indeed, after four months of search we are finishing up the course and writing the road book.

We invite you to follow our trip almost every day with pictures and text.

Our trip starts on the second week of this edition of the Dakar, in Valparaiso, Chile.

Tomorrow you’ll find our first pictures of the Valparaiso - La Serena stage

The Dakar reco team

10-07-2008 - THE 2009 DAKAR SOLD OUT !

More than 550 entry forms have been received six months ahead of the start, it’s already a success for the Dakar Argentina-Chile. Because it really is “the Dakar” that will be run in Argentina and Chile from January 3-18, 2009.

New regions worthy of the most difficult rally in the world will provide the competitors all they will require to push their limits. Those who like to surpass their capabilities have answered in mass for this all-new challenge.

From May 15 to June 15, the competitors who had been chosen for the 2008 Dakar were given a sign up « grace period » and they will make up 65% of the field of the next Dakar.

After the six weeks following the start of the inscription period, more than 500 teams had already been chosen, after a review of their entry form, to take part in the next edition of the rally. Among them, 16% are first time participants

The field will be, as last year, world-class with the presences of factory teams and the top independent teams. 

This summer, the reconnaissance runs will continue on as will all the preparations in order to ensure this new challenge is a success.

Unchanged, unequalled, inimitable, the Dakar remains the Dakar

11-07-2008 - Etienne Lavigne : “the Dakar has to be the toughest race in the world.”

What conclusions can be drawn about registrations for Dakar 2009 ?
The result is excellent. It’s a real success ; we’ve received almost 600 applications. There is a very real enthusiasm for the 2009 edition. This proves, quite simply, that the Dakar is unique – always a great adventure, and it is inimitable. The Dakar goes on - and continues to inspire dreams.
I would like to take advantage of this interview to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the competitors who’ve registered for the Dakar 2009, in spite of the difficult context, -those people have shown a great deal of confidence in us.
 
Can you tell us a bit more about Dakar 2009 ?
This will be a really great event ! Believe me, we have rarely been so excited as we were by what we saw on our reconnaissance trips – what a discovery !
Breathtaking landscapes, and such incredible diversity ! Time and time again, we stopped in our tracks - simply to admire our surroundings. It is indescribable – nature in a pure state.
 
In concrete terms, what is the course like ?
The route is ambitious - remember, we’ll be doing 6,000 km of specials ! It will be extremely varied - there will be fast, very fast, steering, sand, and dunes – drivers will need the skill to adapt to different race conditions from one day to the next. The route will be both testing and demanding... People will have to be very well prepared, physically.
 
So should competitors expect a difficult route ?
Yes. We are organising the Dakar, not a walk in the park, and the Dakar has to be the toughest race in the world.
 
In practical terms - will there be bivouacs ?
Of course ! And every day ! This is another example of where competitors are going to be very surprised. We’ve selected extraordinary locations – for example, alongside the Atlantic and Pacific oceans ! And in the middle of the Pampa, we’ll be offering sumptuous and wild bivouacs ! In places where we can really make the most of the natural environment around us !
The ‘Bivouac’ spirit with catering, briefings, all the competitors coming together to share their experiences… It’s essential, this is the Dakar spirit, these are our values.
 
So the competitors won’t be staying in hotels ?
No ! As in Africa, it’s a personal choice. Those who want to stay in hotels can drive a few kilometres and find just what they’re after…
 
Is the Dakar popular in South America ?
For our friends in Argentina and Chile, hosting the Dakar is like organising the World Cup ! When the competitors are welcomed by 500,000 spectators in Cordoba, the words ‘human warmth’ will really come into their own ! The enthusiasm being generated by the Dakar in Argentina and in Chile is immense, the participants will receive a real hero’s welcome.
 
Changes to the rules ?
The technical regulations for cars, bikes and trucks will be identical to those for the Dakar 2008.
 
What about the media ?
There are no worries on this front ! The Dakar will be broadcast in 180 countries ! The media actively seek to be part of the adventure; their level of curiosity is very high.
Amateurs will be at the forefront, and we want to take advantage of this new Dakar to remind people of a few essential values: this is above all a course made for amateurs, with the presence of professional teams. This is where the magic of Dakar lies.
The T2 category will also be very well-supported – to give a simple example, the T2 vehicles will be identified by very brightly-coloured plate backgrounds, so that journalists will be able to identify the vehicle category in an instant.
 
A word on the venue for the next Dakar ?
All the categories will be fiercely contested, as they were at the Central Europe Rally ! And above all, we should enjoy a fabulous race from the independents ! Gache, Delecour, Lavieille, Muller, Monteiro, Gordon, Henrard, Kahle, Patissier, Errandonea, Vigouroux... I’m bound to have forgotten someone… And in T2 – what a fight ! The differences are often infinitesimal !
As for the bikes, again the number of outsiders is impressive...
As well as the trucks, which are once again going to offer us a superb race !
 
How does your calendar look over the next few months ?
A third reconnaissance phase in July, September and October. Then preparation for the first part of the Le Havre scrutineering – a busy schedule !

13-05-2008 - Argentina and Chile: from an ocean to another

On the occasion of the official presentation that was held late in the afternoon at the Théâtre Marigny in Paris, Patrice Clerc, President of Amaury Sport Organisation and Étienne Lavigne, director of the Dakar, have unveiled the main lines of the course of the next edition in the presence of Carlos Enrique Meyer, Argentina’s State Secretary for Tourism and of Jaime Pizarro Herrera, State Secretary for Sports of Chile. Returning from a series of reconnaissance taking place in both countries of South America that will be welcoming the Dakar for the first time, Étienne Lavigne gave out some information on the event that will take place from the 3rd to the 18th of January 2009.

On the vast Argentinean and Chilean territories, a large loop of 9 000 kilometres including around 6 000 kilometres of specials, will have to be covered by the competitors to reach Buenos Aires, start and finish place of the race. By first of all heading south towards the landscapes of Patagonia, the drivers and riders will then have to cross the Andes Mountains before enjoying a rest day at Valparaiso on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The return trip will then take them to the Atacama Desert and notably to the Argentinean provinces of Catamarca, of Rioja and of Cordoba.

The Dakar that has a vocation to discover unknown territories for off-road rally amateurs will cross over the Atlantic Ocean for its 2009 edition. The calendar has therefore been adapted in order to allow the shipping of the vehicles to Argentina’s capital: a first phase of technical and administrative scrutineering will take place on the 26th and 27th of November at Le Havre where the European vehicles will be boarded on ships. The organisers of the rally have announced the opening of the period to send registration files as of the 15th of May. During a month, the competitors that had registered for the 2008 edition of the Dakar will benefit from a priority.

The major dates of the 2009 Dakar

• 15th of May - 30th of June 2008: reception of registration files
  
• 26th - 27th of November 2008: first phase of technical and administrative scrutineering at Le Havre.
  
• 31st of December 2008 - 1st of January 2009: second phase of technical and administrative scrutineering at “La Rural” Palace in Buenos Aires.
  
• 2nd of january 2009 : briefings and start podium
  
• 3rd of January 2009: start of the first stage from Buenos Aires, on the “Plaza de la Republica”.
  
• 10th of January 2009: rest day at Valparaiso.
  
• 18th of January 2009: finish in Buenos Aires

30-04-2008 - On the tracks of Chile

Follow David Castera on the tracks of Chile

22-04-2008 - On the tracks of Argentina and Chile

Hello to all of you,

Here we are having set off on the tracks of Argentina to prepare the next Dakar rally.

For the last week, we have been travelling to every corner of Argentina and it is a satisfied man who is writing these few lines to you.

Satisfied with the landscapes we have crossed, the inhabitants’ welcome, the exceptional encounters with lamas, turtles, ostriches, pink flamingos and above all, very satisfied with the stone, dirt and sand tracks on which the next rally will take place.

All of these things have ended up persuading me that the 2009 edition of the Dakar will be a great year, worthy of its name, where adventure, surpassing oneself, sport, competition and mutual aide will be more than ever present.

You will find a few photos enclosed which will allow you to share our wonder.

Soon we will arrive in Chili and I will send you a short message from there.

We hope to see you soon and I wish all of the participants in the Central Europe Rally good luck.



David Castera and his team

17-04-2008 - Dakar 2009 application - Guide book

Frédéric LEQUIEN, Deputy Motosport Director, presents the Dakar 2009 registration terms and conditions.

From when and until when can I submit my application dossier?

The period for filing dossiers will run from 15th May to 30th June 2008. We wanted to give priority to competitors of the 2008Dakar. In concrete terms, all 2008 Dakar competitors who want to take part in the 2009 Dakar will automatically be selected. But beware, the priority period will end on 15th June 2008.

Where can I find an application dossier?

On www.dakar.com from the beginning of May as well as in the 2009 Dakar presentation and registration brochure that will be sent to you. Finally, for those of you who have still not received it, you can apply through the competitors department (concurrents@dakar.com).

I did not sign up for the 2008 Dakar. What are my chances of being selected?

Your chances are good! One piece of advice, send in your application dossier as early as possible after 15th May, attach photos and as much information as possible so as to give yourself every chance of success.

How do I produce a “good dossier”?

First of all, those selected for the 2008 Dakar will not have to complete the information sheet. For all new applicants, all documents are compulsory and once again add anything than can enhance your application (book, sports CV, vehicle used,...)

What are the changes going to be in terms of budget for competitors with this South American “start”?

Signing up charges are exactly the same as in 2008! Return sea transport will be fully covered by ASO! The Dakar in Argentina-Chile will not be more expensive, competitors can even make real savings on items such as fuel.

When will I know if I have been selected?

From early July.

When and how will vehicles be transferred to Buenos Aires?

We will give you much more information at the conference which will be held on the Champs Elysées in Paris on 13th May, but we can tell you here and now that loading will be in late November. Competitors will undergo the technical checks and some of the administrative checks there. Competitors will then rejoin their vehicles in Buenos Aires.

12-02-2008 - The 2009 Dakar rally : on the tracks of South America

Patrice Clerc, President of Amaury Sport Organisation and Etienne Lavigne, Director of the Dakar, have announced that the 2009 Dakar would take place in Argentina and Chile from the 3rd to the 18th of January. They promise an amazing course, a 9000 km loop including 6000 of specials between Buenos Aires, Valparaiso and Buenos Aires. The Dakar rally, the legendary event of the off-road rally discipline, will for the first time go to South America in 2009.

During the last thirty years, the race has forged itself a legendary reputation on the African territory that helped it grow and become one of the major events of the international calendar. The Dakar will know how to keep and maintain values and a unique spirit. A first choice sporting competition that mixes great champions and amateurs, the event has become extremely international throughout the years, uniting up to 52 different nationalities. Added to that, the Dakar gathers a state of spirit driven by a quest for adventure, open-mindedness and discovery. A nomadic event by excellence with 21 African countries visited during its history, it has the vocation to explore the deserts of the World and A.S.O. studies the possibility for other territories to welcome the Dakar.

While keeping an undamaged challenge, the 2009 edition has accepted the invitation of Argentina and Chile, countries with which A.S.O. was in contact for several years.

The organisers were seduced by the discovery of territories where navigation, sand, and crossings will be on the menu. Argentina and Chile gather all the ingredients for a fantastic Dakar both in terms of the level of the varied topography and the splendour of the landscapes or through its infrastructures. The enthusiasm launched by the prospect of welcoming the event promises a great Dakar.

The registrations for this new challenge will start on the 15th of May 2008. The competitors registered for the 2008 edition will have priority and will benefit during a month from a similar tariff as this year’s one.