Dakar Rally: World famous event begins today in Saudi Arabia
Today will see the world famous Dakar Rally begin its latest edition in Saudi Arabia for the third time.
The 12-stage race will see competitors race from Ha’il in the north of the Kingdom and finish in Jeddah, the site of the recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Rally will see qualifying begin today with the final event podium expected to be congratulated on 14 January.
The Rally began in 1979, when teams raced from Paris to Dakar and and has since been through other African and European countries, as well as South America.
In 2017, Sam Sunderland became the first and only Briton to ever win the Rally when he won the Paraguay to Argentina bike race.
The Rally will see entries from bikes, quads, cars, light prototypes, SSV’s, trucks and classics.
This is the third race to be held in Saudi Arabia after a long stint in South America after raising security concerns in Africa.
The hosting deal spans five years and could include other countries if it wishes, but Covid-19 has curtailed any potential plans for other nations to form part of the Rally this year.
The motorsport governing body (FIA) this year granted World Championship states to the cross-country rallying discipline.
This Rally will also serve as the opening event in an inaugural championship calendar after the two motor sporting bodies, the FIA and FIM, joined their cross-country rallying championships.
