Half the Dakar cars are SA-made

The 2024 Dakar Rally kicks off soon, with 354 crews from around the world raring to tackle the world’s toughest motorsport event.

On Friday, 5 January crews will line up to start Dakar 2024’s 157km prologue through the Arabian Desert around the Saudi city Al-Ula.

ALSO READ:  WATCH: Gas tanker veers off N2 near Mtubatuba

That sets the starting order for the following day’s first 532km Arabian Desert stage to Al Henakiyah before 4 727km of racing and 7 891km overall, to the finish at Yanbu on Friday, 19 January.

But here’s an interesting fact.

Of the 72 cars entered in Dakar 2024, thirty-eight were built in South Africa.

These include 23 Toyota Hiluxes, 12 Centurys, three Red-Lined bakkies, and two Ford Rangers.

That’s more than half the field!

Twelve South Africans will also either drive or navigate, and there will be a literal army of South Africans in the bivouac following and supporting the race.

Double reigning champion, Toyota Gazoo Racing has entered no fewer than five made-at-Kyalami Hallspeed Dakar Hiluxes; three driven by South Africans, two of which have South African navigators, too.

Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy lead the team, aided and abetted by Guy Botterill and Brett Cummings, and rookie Saood Variawa with French notes-man Francois Cazalet.

They will be backed by two international crews in Brazilian Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon, and American Seth Quintero with Dennis Zenz.
The rest of the Toyota Hilux army comes from all over the world.

Among them, another South African crew, 2018 rookie winner Hennie de Klerk and Juan Möhr’s Treasury ONE Hilux is not a Hallspeed car but built around the corner by WCT Engineering in Kyalami.

Among the notable other Hallspeed Hiluxes, expect Saudi home hero Yazeed Al Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk to be on the pace; former Le Mans winner Frenchman Romain Dumas and Max Delfino are an interesting entry, and never underestimate their compatriots, Guerlain Chicherit and Alex Winocq.

The biggest news at Dakar 2024 is Ford’s official return with a pair of M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Rangers, built by Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) in Pietermaritzburg.

One of those will be driven by SA rookie crew Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer, with Spanish Dakar legend Nani Roma and Alex Haro Bravo aboard the second Ranger.

Czech privateers Martin Prokop and Viktor Chytka are another regular Dakar threat in their Ford Raptor.

Sticking with the South African theme, Johannesburg-based Century Racing is back with a split two-car factory effort.

South African crew Brian Baragwanath and Leonard Cremer step up to Century’s all-new all-wheel drive T1+ class CR7-T, while Frenchmen Mathieu Serradori and Loic Minaudier continue for their quest for that illusive T1.2 class win with their rear-driven CR6-T.

A fleet of 10 privateer Century buggies are driven by crews from around the world, headlined by Dutch twins Tim and Tom Coronel, and former bikers, Spanish female rider Laia Sanz and Maurizio Gerini’s Astara version.

Last but not least among the South African cars, Red-Lined machines are also built alongside the Grand Prix Circuit at Kyalami.

Red-Lined, whose cars won the amateur T1.1 class in 2023, has teamed up with Chinese T1.2 4×2 class winner Wei Han and Li Ma.

They make their top class T1+ debut in a Red-Lined-based HanWei Motorsport entry.

Two other Red-Lined REVO+ T1+ cars are entered for teen lady 2023 Dakar SSV sensation Aliyyah Koloc and South African notes man Riaan Greyling, and Belgian rookie Stefan Carmans and Antonius van Tiel.

HAVE YOUR SAY