Arabian Desert start for Dakar 2024
Of the 72 cars entered in Dakar 2024, 38 of them, 23 Toyota Hiluxes, 12 Centurys, three Red-Lined, and two Ford Rangers, were built in South Africa.
Dakar 2024 is fast approaching. On January 5, 354 crews comprising of 72 cars, 137 motorcycles and 10 quads, 78 Challenger cars and SSVs, and 46 trucks will line up to start Dakar 2024’s 157km prologue through the Arabian Desert around the Saudi city Al-Ula.
That sets the starting order for the next 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 January 19.
Of the 72 cars entered in Dakar 2024, 38 of them, 23 Toyota Hiluxes, 12 Centurys, three Red-Lined, and two Ford Rangers, were built in South Africa. 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 less than five made-at-Kyalami Hallspeed Dakar Hiluxes, three of them 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 Lucas and Armand Monleon, and American Seth Quintero and 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 TreasuryONE Hilux is not a Hallspeed car but built around the corner by WCT Engineering in Kyalami.
Among the biggest news at Dakar 2024 is Ford’s official return with a pair of NWR Pietermaritzburg built, SA rally raid developed M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Rangers. One of those will be driven by South African rookie crew Gareth Woolridge and Boyd Dreyer.
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.
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.
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