The 2020 Dakar Rally will take place on the Arabian Peninsula for the first time from tomorrow (January 5) till January 17. Among the entries are a total of nine MINI racing cars, of which two are Dakar icons in the MINI JCW buggy.
Dakar record winner Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel and co-driver Paulo Fiuza are aiming for his 14th overall Dakar success. The two-time winner and former World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz will also be in the further developed MINI JCW buggy and the support of MINI Motorsport partner X-raid.
The 2020 Dakar Rally will have 12 competitive stages which will total around 5,000 kms through desert. The event will cover some 7,500 kms from Jeddah via the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, to Al-Quiddia.
“After many years in South America, 2020 will see us not only go to a completely new region but also ‘back to the ‘roots’ again. Long special tests, many kilometres and lots of new experiences: that’s what awaits us in Saudi Arabia. It will be a tough Dakar for sure, and hopefully our MINI vehicles will prove their reliability as always,” said Sainz.
“It will be a new challenge for everyone. A few weeks ago, I saw new landscapes and completely different routes in the small Baja around Riyadh, very quickly, but beautiful. I look forward to it!” said Peterhansel.
Peterhansel has an amazing record of winning the Dakar 13 times – 6 times on a motorcycle and 7 times in 4-wheelers. This includes the first joint victory of MINI and X-raid 2012 in MINI ALL4 Racing and the title defence the following year. He actually wanted to contest the Dakar 2020 for the first time with his wife, Andrea, who had previously been a successful rally driver. She had earlier navigated her husband to the FIA World Cup title for cross-country rallies in 2019.
Two other MINI JCW rallycars will be used by X-raid driver Vladimir Vasilyev with Vitaly Yevtyekhov and Saudi Arabian hero Yasir Seaidan with co-driver Alexey Kuzmich. Outside the X-raid team, Denis Krotov/Dmitry Tsyro and Vaidotas Zala/Saulius Jurgelenas will be working hard to finish with good results in their MINI JCW Rallycars.
