South African flag flying high at the 2023 Dakar Rally

Table of Contents

An annual rally raid occasion hosted in Saudi Arabia, formally generally known as the Dakar Rally, has lately come to an finish. Working from the thirty first of December 2022 with the ultimate chequered flag falling on the fifteenth of January 2023, we determined to try a number of native names which have made it into the ultimate Prime 10 listing, in flip filling South Africans with satisfaction! 

DAKAR
Picture: DAKAR

The define of the route was introduced on the fifth of June 2022, giving the groups sufficient time to do analysis and put together for an intense take a look at on dedication and endurance below the blazing solar of Saudi Arabia. The route began at “Sea Camp” close to Yanbu, on the Crimson Sea and stretched all the best way to Dammam at a Persian Gulf shore. For this season the route returned to the Empty Quarter with three group levels, together with the marathon stage. That includes 70% new tracks, fewer liaisons and 5 000 kilometres of particular levels. The route has been described as longer, extra intense and encompassed many extra dunes of the neverending Center-Jap desert. Crews traversed the huge empty areas of the Saudi Kingdom, after 14 levels that coated 8 000 kilometres, of which 5 000 km had been in opposition to the clock.

DAKAR
Picture: DAKAR

Qatar’s Nasser AI-Attiyah and his French co-driver Mathieu Baumel efficiently defended the Dakar title they received for Toyota Gazoo Racing in 2022, with an total successful margin of 1 hour 20 minutes and 49 seconds. Flying the South African flag excessive, Giniel de Villiers and his co-driver Dennis Murphy, crossed the road in 4th place total. This has been the veteran South African rally icon’s twentieth consecutive occasion.

One other pair of South Africans who extremely represented the nation was Henk Latagan and co-driver Brett Cummings. A troublesome race for Henk and Brett who got here tantalisingly near taking the lead as they moved as excessive as second place earlier than working into a few setbacks that pushed them all the way down to fifth place. Being a little bit bit too removed from the sixth place, Eben Basson and Pienaar’s names settled into a snug seventh place within the total standings.

DAKAR
Picture: DAKAR

Not solely was South Africa represented effectively by the drivers, however by a neighborhood Rally carmaker as effectively referred to as Crimson-Lined. The producer’s vehicles dominated the novice class, because it took the T1.1 class win, in addition to second place. All 4 Red-Lined vehicles that began the gruelling race completed within the class’s prime 5.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest