Dakar 2022: More sand, less speed 🎥
THE HARDEST RACE REMAINS Organizer ASO has announced the route for the 2022 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. The toughest off-road race in the world runs from January 2 to 14. Audi will then make its debut with an electric prototype. Magnificent landscapes, endless dunes, spectacular motorsport - the teaser for the Dakar 2022. After the route last January was mainly through the [...]
Grandiose landscapes, endless dunes, spectacular motorsport - the teaser for the Dakar 2022.
After the route last January led mainly through the rocky north of the Arab country, the organization is now concentrating on the so-called Empty Quarter in the south. As a result, the proportion of sand and dunes has increased significantly.
It starts in December
The rally will start on January 2, 2022 in Ha'il and end on January 14 in Jeddah. The rest day will take place on January 8 in the capital Riyadh.
In the Empty Quarter, the participants will compete in a marathon stage where they will have to get by without their team and mechanics for one night. The organization is also building in two loop days on which the teams and the bivouac will not move.
In the second week of December, the vehicles will be loaded in Marseille and taken by ship to Jeddah. There they can be collected by the teams from December 26 to 28.
Scrutineering (vehicle scrutineering) takes place on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in Hail. After a prologue on January 1, the participants will start the 2022 Dakar on January 2.
Expectant title defender
X-raid has been one of the most loyal and successful teams in recent years. The team from Trebur in Germany has won both previous editions with the Mini JCW Buggy.
The managing director of X-raid GmbH is positive about the exciting choice of route.
Sven Quandt: "The fact that Hail has been chosen as the starting point shows us that the participants will be facing more sand. Spending more time in the Empty Quater is also a good way of making the rally a little slower again. The rest day in Riyadh is very practical, as it will hopefully give many fans the opportunity to visit the Dakar, corona permitting. The finish in Jeddah is logistically great for all the teams, and the finish and podium in 2021 was something special. Let's see what kind of surprise awaits the teams there next January. The friendliness in Saudi Arabia is remarkable, and X-raid is always happy to come back, especially with this route choice."
Audi Sport with electric prototype
The biggest innovation on the technical side will be the introduction of the T1-E category for electric and hybrid vehicles. Audi Sport is known to be a prominent participant so far.
Sven Quandt and his Q Motorsport team will take over the operation together with Audi Sport. The first prototype is currently being built in Neuburg an der Donau. The roll-out is scheduled for the end of June, with the world premiere in July. This will be followed by an intensive testing phase before the first Dakar Rally in January 2022.
