2022 Route
The Dakar Rally was launched in 1978 by a young and adventurous Frenchmen named Thierry Sabine. In its early years, the race was called the Paris-Dakar Rally because it started in the French capital of Paris and ended in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. After political instability and uncertainties in Africa forced the race to be canceled in 2008, organizers relocated the event to South America, where the race was held subsequently as the Dakar Rally.
Competitors vie to see who can complete a nearly 10,000-km punishing course in the shortest time over two weeks traversing the desert, dunes, muddy fields, wilderness, and more. Known as the world’s most grueling rally event, it is not uncommon to have fewer than 50% of entrants complete the race. This major event attracts attention from around the world, igniting in competitors a fervent desire to test their mettle with more than 300 vehicles from 50 countries competing each year across five divisions: a bike division, quad (buggy) division, car division, SSV (side by side vehicle) division, truck division, and so on.