2024 Dakar Classic: Celebrating a Legend

Historic off-road racing occupies a very popular niche in the sport for competitors and fans of all ages. Here in America, vintage machines play a huge role in events like the NORRA Mexican 1000, and even run alongside modern cars in UNLTD Off-Road Racing events like the BFGoodrich Tires Mint 400.

[caption id="attachment_485544" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] RACE - DAKAR 2024 – 09/01/2024 – Stage 4 – Al Salamiya > Al-Hofuf - Dakar Classic - 734 SINIBALDI Stefano (ita), MOROSI Simona (ita), R Team, Mitsubishi, Dakar Classic, action[/caption]

For rally raid, the biggest historic stage is the Dakar Classic, where legendary vehicles from decades past go back to battle alongside the modern machines run by names like Carlos Sainz, Sébastien Loeb, and Nasser Al-Attiyah.

[caption id="attachment_485555" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] 737 STANISZEWSKI Tomasz (pol), POSTAWKA Stanislaw (pol), P-Rally, Porsche, Dakar Classic, action during the Stage 9 of the Dakar Classic 2024 on January 16, 2024 between Hail and Al Ula, Saudi Arabia[/caption]

The Dakar Classic was first conceived in 2021. It’s a throwback to the Paris-Dakar days that still lend its name to the modern event.

[caption id="attachment_485543" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] RACE - DAKAR 2024 – 08/01/2024 – Stage 3 – Al Duwadimi > Al Salamiya - Dakar Classic -[/caption]

Unlike the main Dakar Rally, the Dakar Classic is about consistency. It’s not scored by time, but by points, and the lowest score wins.

[caption id="attachment_485542" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] 754 FERNANDEZ GARCIA ACC Sergi (spa), BENAVENTE Pablo (spa), Pedrega Team, Mitsubishi, Dakar Classic, action during the Stage 2 of the Dakar Classic 2024 on January 7, 2024 between Al Henakiyah and Al Duwadimi, Saudi Arabia[/caption]

In short, the more accurately you navigate the course, the better off you’ll be in the standings!

[caption id="attachment_485550" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] 710 CALZI Stefano (ita), FIORI Umberto (ita), Motortecnica Racing Team, Mitsubishi, Dakar Classic, action during the Stage 6 « 48 Hours Chrono » of the Dakar Classic 2024 from January 11 to 12, 2024 around Subaytah, Saudi Arabia[/caption]

Signature cars from all eras take on the event, from this Mitsubishi Pajero, raced by Stefano Calzi, that finished third in 1996 in the hands of Jean-Pierre Fontenay…

[caption id="attachment_485557" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Race - Dakar Classic - 18/01/2024 – Stage 11 - 700 MORERA Juan (spa), RUBA Lidia (spa), Team SSP, Porsche, Dakar Classic, action[/caption]

…to multiple Porsche 959s, including this one raced by defending champion Juan Morera...

[caption id="attachment_485549" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] #911 LESMES SUAREZ Rafael (spa), RUANO GARCIA Jose Luis (spa), ROMON Tabatha (spa), TH-Trucks Team, Mercedes, Dakar Classic, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar Classic 2024 on January 10, 2024 between Al-Hofuf and Subaytah, Saudi Arabia[/caption]

…to a wide selection of classic trucks, including this Mercedes run by Rafael Lesmes Suarez that was best among them.

[caption id="attachment_485540" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] 05/01/2024 – Prologue – AlUlA > AlUla - 752 GARCIA Georges (fra), BEZIAC François (nzl), Chancellor Team New Zealand, Land-Rover, Dakar Classic, action[/caption]

In total, this year’s event had more than 80 entries, with brands like Toyota and Land Rover also very well represented.

[caption id="attachment_485554" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Race - Dakar Classic - 15/01/2024 – Stage 8 – Al Duwadimi > Hail - 903 VAN KASTEREN Sr Janus (nld), BLOCK Corne (nld), SPIERINGS Toine (ned), Classic Team De Rooy, DAF, Dakar Classic, action[/caption]

Plenty of those teams also had direct links to legends of the event—such as Classic Team de Rooy, which saw Janus van Kasteren Sr., father of 2023 Dakar Rally Truck winner Janus van Kasteren, take the wheel of a former Jan De Rooy DAF.

[caption id="attachment_485551" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Race - Dakar - 14/01/2024 – Stage 7 – Riyadh > Al Duwadimi - Dakar Clssic - 718 CARCHERI Luciano (ita), PONS. Fabrizia (ita), Carcheri Luciano, Isuzu, Dakar Classic, action[/caption]

Since the Dakar Classic is a navigation rally for vintage equipment, you’d imagine that the crews might take extra care of their machines…

[caption id="attachment_485541" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] 05/01/2024 – Prologue – AlUlA > AlUla - 756 PICASSO Stefano (ita), BIONDI Gianluca (sei), Desert Endurance Motorsport, Suzuki, Dakar Classic, action[/caption]

…but it’s still racing, after all, and things can get competitive!

[caption id="attachment_485547" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] 915 LEMERAY Alexandre (fra), LECPLAIN Fabien (fra), LECOT Jean-Baptiste (fra), Team Holeshot Competition, Man, Dakar Classic, action during the Stage 4 of the Dakar Classic 2024 on January 9, 2024 between Al Salamiya and Al-Hofuf, Saudi Arabia[/caption]

And especially since this is still the Dakar, not everyone made it to the finish unscathed, if at all.

[caption id="attachment_485546" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] 749 PEREZ COMPANC Jorge (arg), VOLTA Jose Maria (arg), Madpanda Motorsport, Toyota, Dakar Classic, action during the Stage 4 of the Dakar Classic 2024 on January 9, 2024 between Al Salamiya and Al-Hofuf, Saudi Arabia[/caption]

After multiple issues during the event, including this stop on Stage 4, the Madpanda Motorsport team finally withdrew after Stage 7…

[caption id="attachment_485558" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Race - Dakar Classic - 17/01/2024 – Stage 10 – Al Ula > Al Ula - 712 HOLICKA Barbora (cze), ENGOVA Luci (cze), Czech Samurais, Citroen, Dakar Classic, action[/caption]

…while the popular Citroen 2CV, driven by Barbora Holicka and decked out in duck-themed pop art, finished 63rd overall, with a tow on Stage 10 part of their adventure.

[caption id="attachment_485559" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] 722 BELOMETTI Andrea (ita), DEROSSI Luigi (ita), Desert Endurance Motorsport, Nissan, Dakar Classic, action during the Stage 11 of the Dakar Classic 2024 on January 18, 2024 between Al Ula and Yanbu, Saudi Arabia[/caption]

In fact, while the margin of victory was just 12 points, only the top four teams were within 1,000 points of the lead.

[caption id="attachment_485548" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] #768 ROSA I VINAS Jan (spa), SANTAOLALLA MILLA Carlos (spa), Factorytub, Toyota, Dakar Classic, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar Classic 2024 on January 10, 2024 between Al-Hofuf and Subaytah, Saudi Arabia[/caption]

Leading the charge was the Factorytub team, whose Toyota Land Cruiser was driven by Carlos Santaolalla Milla. Even with 300 penalty points, and an 18th place finish on Stage 8 that briefly cost them the overall lead, the #768 team led a majority of the event.

[caption id="attachment_485560" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] #702 TRAGLIO Lorenzo (ita), BRIANI Rudy (ita), Tecnosport, Nissan, Dakar Classic, action during the Stage 12 of the Dakar Classic 2024 on January 19, 2024 around Yanbu, Saudi Arabia[/caption]

Coming in second was this Nissan Pathfinder run by Lorenzo Traglio, whose father Maurizio is a legendary mechanic and took over the Tecnosport team.

[caption id="attachment_485553" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] #701 BEDESCHI Paolo (ita), BOTTALLO Daniele (ita), Tecnosport, Toyota, Dakar Classic, action during the Stage 7 of the Dakar Classic 2024 on January 14, 2024 between Riyadh and Al Duwadimi, Saudi Arabia[/caption]

Third was another Tecnosport entry driven by Paolo Bedeschi, the only team to avoid a penalty after all 12 stages. It was his second straight third place finish in the Dakar Classic.

[caption id="attachment_485545" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] RACE - DAKAR 2024 – 09/01/2024 – Stage 4 – Al Salamiya > Al-Hofuf - Dakar Classic - 767 ROIGE Bragulat Amadeo (spa), TORAL Jorge (spa), Pedrega Team, Toyota, Dakar Classic, action[/caption]

After Marc Douton’s win in a Dunhill Buggy in 2021, Land Cruisers have been the dominant cars in the Dakar Classic so far, winning the past three. Will the streak continue in 2025? We’ll have to wait another year to find out.

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