This weekend sees the start of the 2020 Dakar Rally. Two weeks of the most gruelling off-road endurance racing the world has ever seen.
If, like me, you have been following the great Dakar Rally since you were very young, you will probably be aware that the desert racing institution has moved around the globe through the years. It seems such a long time now since the historic inaugural rally started in Paris, France back in 1977. The rally became more and more popular and more and more demanding every year. In 2009, it moved over to South America, putting vehicles and drivers through their paces in Argentina and Chile.
This year, the Dakar Rally will be moving once again and taking to the golden sands of the Saudi Arabian desert. Drivers will be exploring the vast expanses of the largest country in the Middle East. Vehicles and crews will be facing a total of 7,500 km, including 5,000 km of specials, five of these specials well longer than 450 km! In a country where the desert is king, 75% of the rally will be over sand… every type of sand you can think of.
Where else can you see massive trucks, quads, bikes, pickup trucks and even some heavily modified cars race the same route? Nowhere else will you see such spectacular racing scenery and striking visuals. In the UK you can follow the action on Red Bull TV or EuroSport or you can, of course, follow all the teams and latest news updates on the official site: https://www.dakar.com/en and their very active social media channels.
Lets face it, when we modify our own 4x4s and pickup trucks, we're often trying to emulate the look and feel of what these guys experience, whether it be something simple like a roll sports bar, an expedition roof rack, all the way through to massive round-vehicle side awnings, a snug overland roof top tent tent or an full expedition trailer. If the rally get's your expedition juices flowing, don't forget about Direct4x4 and our massive range of gear; we'll help you to get out there and experience the same thrill of discovery as the famous Dakar Rally pioneers of old.