Scheduled to roar into action from January 5th to 19th, the Dakar’s fifth foray into Saudi Arabian terrain will commence in the historic city of AlUla. Competitors will navigate their way across the nation, tackling the dunes of the Empty Quarter and concluding the epic journey in Yanbu, a city graced by the Red Sea’s azure waters.
The Dakar 2024 will unfold over 14 days, encapsulating one prologue and 12 stages, each contributing to the total 5,000 kilometres of special stages. This edition seeks to uncover more of Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes, with 60% of the route charting unexplored territory. The competitors will encamp in nine different bivouacs, strategically placed across the country, each serving as a temporary fortress in their transcontinental siege.
On December 18, King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu received the vessel “Jolly Palladio”, loaded with vehicles for the 2024 event. the shipment included 864 vehicles, 86 motorcycles, five helicopters, and 39 containers. Off-loading operations were completed within nine hours, setting a record compared to last year’s unloading of 712 vehicles in 12 hours.
Race director David Castera says this year’s Dakar will represent a challenge as formidable as ever, promising “massive stretches of dunes” and “navigation difficulties” that will test the mettle of even the most seasoned participants. With the anticipation palpable, the organisers have unveiled the “48H CHRONO STAGE,” a new format that introduces a mandatory rest period, blending the relentless pace of the race with a strategy-intensive marathon stage.
AlUla Camp: An Intersection of History and Adventure
The allure of AlUla, with its millennia-old archaeological marvels, captivated competitors in the 2020 edition. The forthcoming rally promises an even deeper connection with the past, situating the start camp amidst the monumental legacy of the Nabataeans. This juxtaposition of ancient resilience and modern-day racing spirit sets a profound backdrop for the adventures ahead.
48H Chrono Stage: A Marathon of Mind and Machine: The “48H CHRONO STAGE” is set to redefine the rally experience. As the sun wanes, competitors will converge at various bivouacs, with mechanics and strategies unfolding under the desert stars. Come 4 pm, the engines will quiet, only to reignite at 7 am, propelling the racers to conquer the remaining distance. It’s a formidable test of endurance, with the silent desert keeping the score until the next day’s cannon blast.
Empty Quarter: A Duel with the Desert: The Empty Quarter, an expanse of desert vastness, will host a uniquely challenging “48H CHRONO STAGE.” The desolation of the desert will split the contest into separate tracks for motorbikes, quads, cars, and trucks, ensuring a pure test of navigational skill devoid of preceding tracks to follow.
Dakar Classic: A Nod to Nostalgia: The Dakar Classic, a homage to the rally’s pioneering days, returns for its fourth act. It’s a regularity challenge that brings the legends of yesteryears back to life, from René Metge’s Porsche 911 to Jan De Rooy’s iconic DAF truck. This category celebrates the spirit of Dakar, limited to 100 crews, all sharing a passion for historic motorsport.
A Royal Seal of Approval: HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Motorsports Company and the SAMF, expresses his delight at hosting the Dakar Rally for the fifth consecutive year. He highlights the event as a “jewel” in the nation’s sports calendar, underscoring the Kingdom’s vision of advancing its sporting legacy in tandem with its tourism and development goals.
Dakar Future Mission 1000: Pioneering Sustainable Racing: In the shadows of the rally, the Dakar Future Mission 1000 stands as a testament to sustainable innovation. As the TU category evolves and biofuels gain traction, this initiative invites manufacturers to trial vehicles powered by hydrogen, electric, and hybrid engines across a hundred kilometers of Dakar terrain each day. Though not a competition, the performance of these vehicles will be meticulously assessed, setting the stage for the energies of tomorrow to be tested today.
A major promotional vehicle for KSA – as the Dakar galaxy shines on tv, digital platforms and social media
TV: over 4,000 hours of broadcasting: The Dakar receives worldwide coverage, with shows produced on-site and featured on the TV news and dedicated broadcasts on a total of 70 channels. Six major broadcasters are joining or returning to the club to put footage of the 2024 edition on the waves.
- In France, the Dakar is hosting La Chaine L’Équipe with large-scale coverage (see below). For the first event of the season, it is teaming up again with the long-standing broadcaster, France Télévisions, whose Tout le Sport daily show, with an average viewership of 1.1 million on France 3, is evolving into the Journal du Dakar. Eurosport will be reserving a three-hour slot every day, bringing the programme to the 63 territories in its broadcasting area.
- In the Middle East, Saudi Sport Company continues to expand its coverage, with an even bigger role for the Dakar on its SSC News and SSC2 channels. In the Middle East, the leading channel, MBC Action, available in 24 countries free of charge, will bring maximum exposure to the footage of the Dakar, as will the Shahid digital platform, with almost 5 million paid subscribers.
- In the Baltic states, TV3 Group is coming on board, enabling the TV3 and TV6 channels to shine an even brighter spotlight on the performances of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian competitors. In Slovakia, RTVS will again be broadcasting the 52-minute daily programme, while Americans will be able to watch the Dakar on television on MAV TV, in addition to the existing coverage by NBC Sports via its Peacock platform.
Social media: a digital community
- Over 7 million followers engage with the social media of the Dakar, following the race with a wide range of content, getting sneak peeks into the backstage of the rally and interacting with riders and crews of every stature.
The Dakar Rally of 2024 is a confluence of past, present, and future—a testament to human tenacity and the relentless pursuit of progress. As the engines cool in the desert night, the spirit of adventure burns ever brighter, heralding a new chapter in the illustrious story of Dakar
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Read also: EMBRACING NATURE AND WELLNESS IN ALULA
