Sands of time brought Dakar back to its beginningsMichael ReiningerShort Url https://arab.news/zedvxWith the Dakar Rally finishing recently in Saudi Arabia and the final podium being at the Qiddiya site, it did in a sense return to its roots: For it was in desert sands that the rally was born, and it is to desert sands that it has now reverted. Seventy-four vehicles would reach Dakar; the other 108 could not conquer the challenge of the sands. It was the Atacama that hosted a milestone for Saudi motorsports, when Yazeed Al-Rajhi of Riyadh, piloting a Toyota car, in 2015 became the first Saudi driver to win a Dakar stage. Alonso said afterwards: “It was a good four days’ preparation for the Dakar and discovering new terrain and new things here. It is good that it happened now and gives us confidence for Dakar.”Which brings us to the third era of the Dakar Rally.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 28, 2020 21:11 UTC