P1racenews AI automatic summary:
“We took it upon ourselves to make the fifth edition of Saudi Arabia the toughest one since the race came
The 46th Dakar Rally, covering a distance of 7,891 km, will begin in AlUla on January 5th and conclude in Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. The race will consist of roads, tracks, and dunes, with 4,727 km dedicated to specials. The event will introduce a new challenge called “48h chrono,” where competitors will be left to fend for themselves across eight bivouacs in the Empty Quarter desert. A total of 354 vehicles, including 137 motorbikes, 10 quads, 72 Ultimate cars, 42 Challenger cars, 36 SSVs, and 46 trucks, will participate in this season’s World Rally-Raid Championships. Additionally, the Dakar Classic, a regularity race for 20th-century vehicles, will cover a distance of 7,366 km with 3,586 km of timed sections. The first week will be the toughest, with volcanic landscapes and challenging stages. Stage 3 will feature a two-day marathon challenge for competitors. A “48h chrono” rest day will be introduced after the first week, followed by a second week filled with alternating extreme and easier stages. The odd-numbered stages will offer the best risk-to-reward ratio, but navigation through the Saudi desert will remain tricky throughout the competition.
