Dakar Rally - Betting Odds, Event Details, History and Records

Date: 2025.01.05 - 2025.01.TBA
Contest: Rally Raid
Location: Saudi Arabia


Rally Raid is a form of long-distance off-road racing that is also known as cross-country rallying. The races can range from 2-3 day competitions to as long as 15-day events. Dakar Rally is the biggest rally-raid competition which sees competitors from different parts of the world coming to race through the toughest of terrains and enjoy fascinating adventures.


Dakar Rally:

The Dakar Rally is annually organized by Amaury Sport Organisation and invites competitors and participants in five different classes of cars and trucks. The Rally covers more than 15,000 km and is classified as the most-grueling off-road racing competition in the world. The distance is covered in different stages, on separate days, with each stage covering almost 850-950 km.


2024 Winner:

Ricky Brabec, racing for Monster Energy Honda, achieved his second Dakar Rally victory in four years.


Status:

The Dakar Rally is the season-opening competition of the World Rally-Raid Championship and has been sanctioned by Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).


History:

The inaugural edition of the Dakar Rally was held in 1979, as the drivers battled challenging terrain across Europe and Africa. Back then, the race started in the French capital of Paris and finished in Senegal's capital, Dakar. Over the years, the number of racers participating in the Dakar Rally grew as the cross-continental competition became the biggest off-road Rally in the world.


Naming:

The Rally was named Dakar Rally because the racers undertook a trip from Paris to Dakar. Thus, the name Dakar Rally originated from the race's final destination.


Venues:

Between 1979 and 2007, the original route of the Dakar Rally from Paris to Dakar hosted the Rally. However, the Rally moved to South America due to security threats, and the Rally was hosted there between 2009 and 2019.

Since 2020, Saudi Arabia has hosted the Dakar Rally.


Dakar Rally Classes - Categories and Past Winners:

Dakar Rally involves competitions in six different classes. The Rally is a stern test of vehicles' durability, endurance, and reliability and serves as a testing ground for many manufacturers. The classes at the Dakar Rally include the following:


Motorbikes:

Motorbikes have been a separate class at the Dakar Rally and have specific limitations and requirements depending on the engine size and cylinders. The big names at the Rally include KTM, Honda, Yamaha, Sherco, Husqvarna, and Gas Gas.

KTM has been successful in recent times, while BMW had its share of success in the past.


Quads:

Quads were considered a sub-division of the Bike category before being classified as a separate category in 2009. Since 2009, Yamaha has remained unbeaten in the category, while Honda and Can-Am have given them a tough fight.


Cars:

The cars category has multiple sub-division and involves vehicles weighing less than 3500 kg. Mitsubishi has been the most successful manufacturer in the history of Rally, while Haval, Toyota, and Ford have shown engagements. Volkswagen, Citroen, Peugeot, Renault, BMW, Nissan, and Porsche have enjoyed success in the past.


Trucks:

Vehicles weighing more than 3500 kg are classified as trucks. The classification first happened in 1980. Kamaz has been dominant in the category since 2000, while Iveco, MAN, Renault, and Tatra have shown great fight. Hino, DAF, Perlini, and Mercedes-Benz are other winners from the past.


UTVS:

The UTV class representing Utility Task Vehicle was introduced separately in 2017 with subdivisions into T3 light prototypes and T4 SSVs.


Dakar Classics:

In 2021, this unique category named the Dakar Classics was introduced, including cars manufactured before the year 2000 or cars with specifications of pre-2000 models.

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