Mini takes sixth Dakar win

For the second time the Dakar unfolded in the historic territory of Saudi Arabia and for the 14^th time Stéphane Peterhansel celebrated victory, breaking his own record once again exactly 30 years after his first win aboard a Yamaha motorcycle. Despite only taking one stage – the ninth test at Neom – the Frenchman and his X-Raid Mini JCW teammate Edouard Boulanger secured the lead after the second and held it thereafter, eventually finishing 13 minutes and 51 seconds clean of second place Toyota Gazoo Racing Team’s Nasser Al-Attiyah and Matthieu Baumel. Two-time WRC Champion Carlos Sainz Sr. and team-mate Lucas Cruz took third for X-Raid Mini JCW, finishing one hour and 57 seconds off the pace.

On the motorcycle front, for the second time Honda took the motorcycle crown – and with it a Silver in the Japanese manufacturer’s first 1-2 Dakar finish since 1987. It was Argentinian Kevin Benavides in the hot seat this time, followed by last year’s victor, the American Ricky Brabec. KTM, who prior to the rally’s move from South America to the Middle East, had held an 18-year chokehold on the title, had to settle with a third place for 2017 British winner Sam Sunderland – a far cry from their 2019 podium lockout.

Only two other Brits competed in this year’s motorcycle category – multiple world enduro and AMA champion David Knight MBE and former British Army trials and enduro racer Neil Hawker. The pair took 24^th and 37^th places respectively – the latter particularly impressive, with Hawker finishing sixth in the Original by Motul unsupported category (formerly known as the Malle Moto), a year after he crashed out during 2020’s stage five.

Despite improvements to rider safety with the now compulsory airbag vests, French rider Pierre Cherpin sadly passed away today, from head injuries caused by a crash during the seventh stage from Ha’il to Sakaka on January 10^th. The 52-year-old was competing in his fourth Dakar, also in the Original by Motul class. Throughout the rally, riders reported that many of the stages were once again particularly fast – a cause for contention and several crashes during the 2020 edition.

Kamaz, meanwhile, locked out the truck podium with Dmitry Sotnikov, Ruslan Akhmadeev and Ilgiz Akhmetzianov leading Anton Shibalox, Dmitrii Nikitin and Ivan Tatarinov in second and Airat Mardeev, Dmitriy Svistunov and Akhmet Galiautdinov in third.

The Dakar Classic took place alongside the contemporary edition for the first time, inviting cars and trucks that had originally competed in the ’80s and ‘90s along for the ride. Following a slightly more subdued course, and scored by a points system rather than timings, 30-odd historic vehicles descended on Saudi Arabia in the first of what we hope is many Dakar revivals. In first place was the French duo of Marc Douton and Emilien Etienne in the 1979 Sunhill Buggy, followed by Spaniards Juan Donatio and Pere Serrat Puig aboard the Mitsubishi Montero V6 and Team Beaucou’s Lilian Harichoury, Luc Fertin and Laurent Correia aboard the Renault 420DCI truck in third.

Photos courtesy of Amaury Sport Organisation