“You always need a goal to light the way forward”

As the man who boasts China's best ever result in the cars, Wei Han always comes to the Dakar with big ambitions. The 50-year-old from the eastern province of Zhejiang has a long-held passion for motorsport, saying, “boys always love cars, and I'm just one of them!” Having set up his own team in 2008, Wei went on to become one of the most successful offroad drivers in China, claiming multiple wins at the Taklimakan Rally and several podiums at the Silk Way Rally. He got his first taste of the Dakar in 2019, coming 27th, before setting that national record by securing a brilliant 10th place in 2020. Things haven’t quite gone Han’s way in the last two editions, however. He suffered mechanical issues in 2021, still recovering to take a creditable 18th place with co-driver Min Liao, while heavy penalties on Stage 1B of Dakar 2022 meant he and new wingman Li Ma had to be content with 37th. The two compatriots are back together again for Dakar 2023, driving their usual SMG buggy. Wei has been working with the French manufacturer since 2016, and has a new car in the pipeline for Dakar 2024. In the meantime, he'll be hoping for a cleaner run in 2023 as he targets another top-10 finish.

W.H.: “Last year our team made a mistake with the understanding of the sporting regulations, and we ended up breaking a rule. We totally respected the decision of the steward. We continued our Dakar adventure and we were happy to finish 37th overall. There weren’t too many more events in 2022, although we did take first place at the Dahaidao Super Endurance Race. We haven’t made too many changes to the buggy for Dakar 2023. We're focusing on the development of our new car, which should be ready in 2024. We're aiming for the top 10 again. You know, an effort without a goal is like an expedition in the dark. You always need a goal to light the way forward.”