The Dakar Rally is the biggest and most important off-road race in the world. In 2024, it celebrates its 46th edition and once again takes the rally-raid spectacle to the magnificent landscapes of Saudi Arabia, where sand and heat will be the drivers’ opponents once again.
From January 5th to 19th, Saudi Arabia will host the Dakar for the 5th time, promising even more excitement. During this period, the nearly 800 drivers and over 400 vehicles will have to cover a total of 7,881 kilometers, 4,727 of which will be timed, divided into 12 stages, with plenty of sand and dunes along the way.
This Friday, the race kicks off with a prologue in Alula and ends on January 19th in the town of Yanbu, where the new champions will be crowned.
Among the participants in the 2024 Dakar are 23 Portuguese. Rui Gonçalves, Joaquim Rodrigues Jr., António Maio, Mario Patrão, Alexandre Azinhais, Bruno Santos Fernandes, the Portuguese-Israeli Gad Nachmani, and the Portuguese-German Sebastian Buhler will compete in the motorcycles category.
In the cars category, navigators Paulo Fiúza, José Marques, and Gonçalo Reis will participate. In the Challenger (formerly T3) class, the highlights are the duos Mário Franco/Daniel Jordão and João Monteiro/Nuno Morais, as well as Ricardo Porém.
In the SSV category, João Ferreira teams up with experienced Filipe Palmeiro. Fausto Mota (who races with a Spanish license) navigates for Brazilian Cristiano Batista (Can-Am).
In the Classic Dakar, António Costa and Luís Miguel Calvão participate in the category for historical cars, which is held alongside the main race. Paulo Oliveira (with a Mozambican license) and Arcélio Couto also participate in this category. Finally, Alexandre Freitas competes in the Classic Trucks.
Eurosport broadcasts a 1-hour daily magazine with the best moments of the rally. From January 5th to 18th, follow all the action of the most exciting off-road race on the planet on Eurosport.
