Motor Sports
Dakar Rally Car,Truck and Moto Champions
See a complete list of Dakar Rally Car, Truck, and Moto Champions. The 2021 Dakar Rally Champions are Kevin Benavides of Argentina (Bikes), Stéphane Peterhansel of France (Cars), Dmitry Sotnikov of Russia (Trucks) and, Manuel Andújar from Argentina (ATV/Quads).
Fast Facts:
- The 2015 Rally traversed 9,000 kilometres through various parts of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia.
- The Dakar rally formerly known as “The Paris-Dakar” or “Paris to Dakar Rally”) was originally, the rally was from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal, via a transfer across the Mediterranean.
- The race is open to amateur and professional riders/drivers. Roughly eighty percent of the participants are amateurs.
- The three major competitive groups in the Dakar are the bike(moto) class (including the quadbikes sub-class), the car class, (which ranges from buggies to small SUVs), and the T4 truck class.
- The rally originated in 1978, a year after motorcycle racer, Thierry Sabine got lost in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice. He thought it would be a good location for a regular rally.
- In 2001 Jutta Kleinschmidt (Miss Dakar) became the first woman to win the overall event.
- Security threats in Mauritania led to the cancellation of the 2008 rally.
The Dakar Rally Car Class Champions:
| Year | Route | Make & model | Driver and Co-driver |
| 2021 | Jeddah–Ḥaʼil | Mini John Cooper Works Buggy | Stéphane Peterhansel, Édouard Boulanger |
| 2020 | Jeddah–Riyadh–Qiddiya | Mini John Cooper Works Buggy | Carlos Sainz, Lucas Cruz |
| 2019 | Lima–Lima | Toyota Hilux Dakar | Nasser Al-Attiyah, Matthieu Baumel |
| 2018 | Lima–La Paz–Córdoba | Peugeot 3008 DKR Maxi | Carlos Sainz, Lucas Cruz |
| 2017 | Asunción–La Paz–Buenos Aires | Peugeot 3008 DKR | Stéphane Peterhansel, Jean-Paul Cottret |
| 2016 | Buenos Aires–Salta-Rosario | Peugeot 2008 DKR | Stéphane Peterhansel, Jean-Paul Cottret |
| 2015 | Buenos Aires–Iquique- | Mini All 4 Racing | Nasser Al-Attiyah, Matthieu Baumel |
| 2014 | Rosario-Salta–Valparaíso | Mini All 4 Racing | Nani Roma, Michel Périn |
| 2013 | Lima–Tucumán–Santiago | Mini All 4 Racing | Stéphane Peterhansel, Jean-Paul Cottret |
| 2012 | Mar del Plata–Arica–Lima | Mini All 4 Racing | Stéphane Peterhansel, Jean-Paul Cottret |
| 2011 | Buenos Aires-Arica | Volkswagen Touareg | Nasser Al-Attiyah, Timo Gottschalk |
| 2010 | Buenos Aires-Antofagasta | Volkswagen Touareg | Carlos Sainz, Lucas Cruz |
| 2009 | Buenos Aires-Valparaiso | Volkswagen Touareg | Giniel de Villiers, Dirk von Zitzewitz |
| 2007 | Lisbon-Dakar | Mitsubishi Pajero | Stéphane Peterhansel, Jean-Paul Cottret |
| 2006 | Lisbon-Dakar | Mitsubishi Pajero | Luc Alphand, Gilles Picard |
| 2005 | Barcelona-Dakar | Mitsubishi Pajero | Stéphane Peterhansel, Jean-Paul Cottret |
| 2004 | Clermont-Ferrand- | Mitsubishi Pajero | Stéphane Peterhansel, Jean-Paul Cottret |
| 2003 | Marseille- | Mitsubishi Pajero | Hiroshi Masuoka, Andreas Schulz |
| 2002 | Arras-Madrid- | Mitsubishi Pajero | Hiroshi Masuoka, Pascal Maimon |
| 2001 | Paris-Dakar | Mitsubishi Pajero | Jutta Kleinschmidt, Andreas Schulz |
| 2000 | Paris-Dakar-Cairo | Schlesser-Renault Buggy | Jean-Louis Schlesser, Henri Magne |
| 1999 | Granada-Dakar | Schlesser-Renault Buggy | Jean-Louis Schlesser, Philippe Monnet |
| 1998 | Paris-Granada- | Mitsubishi Pajero | Jean-Pierre Fontenay, Gilles Picard |
| 1997 | Dakar-Agades- | Mitsubishi Pajero | Kenjiro Shinozuka, Henri Magne |
| 1996 | Granada-Dakar | Citroën ZX | Pierre Lartigue, Michel Perin |
| 1995 | Granada-Dakar | Citroën ZX | Pierre Lartigue, Michel Perin |
| 1994 | Paris-Dakar-Paris | Citroën ZX | Pierre Lartigue, Michel Perin |
| 1993 | Paris-Dakar | Mitsubishi Pajero | Bruno Saby, Dominique Seriyes |
| 1992 | Paris-Sirt- | Mitsubishi Pajero | Hubert Auriol, Philippe Monnet |
| 1991 | Paris-Tripoli- | Citroën ZX | Ari Vatanen, Bruno Berglund |
| 1990 | Paris-Tripoli- | Peugeot 405 T16 | Ari Vatanen, Bruno Berglund |
| 1989 | Paris-Tunis-Dakar | Peugeot 405 T16 | Ari Vatanen, Bruno Berglund |
| 1988 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Peugeot 205 T16 | Juha Kankkunen, Juha Piironen |
| 1987 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Peugeot 205 T16 | Ari Vatanen, Bernard Giroux |
| 1986 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Porsche 959 | René Metge, Dominique Lemoyne |
| 1985 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Mitsubishi Pajero | Patrick Zaniroli, Jean Da Silva |
| 1984 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Porsche 911 | René Metge, Dominique Lemoyne |
| 1983 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Mercedes 280 G | Jacky Ickx, Claude Brasseur |
| 1982 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Renault 20 | Claude Marreau, Bernard Marreau |
| 1981 | Paris-Dakar | Range Rover | René Metge, Bernard Giroux |
| 1980 | Paris-Dakar | Volkswagen Iltis | Freddy Kottulinsky, Gerd Löffelmann |
| 1979 | Paris-Dakar | Range Rover | Alain Génestier,Joseph Terbiaut |
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Dakar Moto Class Rally Champions:
| Year | Route | Rider | Make & model |
| 2021 | Jeddah–Ḥaʼil | Kevin Benavides | Honda CRF 450 Rally |
| 2020 | Jeddah–Riyadh–Qiddiya | Ricky Brabec | Honda CRF 450 Rally |
| 2019 | Lima–Lima | Toby Price | KTM 450 Rally |
| 2018 | Lima–La Paz–Córdoba | Matthias Walkner | KTM 450 Rally Replica |
| 2017 | Asunción–La Paz–Buenos Aires | Sam Sunderland | KTM 450 Rally |
| 2016 | Buenos Aires–Salta-Rosario | Toby Price | KTM 450 Rally |
| 2015 | Buenos Aires–Iquique- | Marc Coma | KTM 450 Rally |
| 2014 | Rosario-Salta–Valparaíso | Marc Coma | KTM 450 Rally |
| 2013 | Lima–Tucumán–Santiago | Cyril Despres | KTM 450 Rally |
| 2012 | Mar del Plata–Arica–Lima | Cyril Despres | KTM 450 Rally |
| 2011 | Buenos Aires-Arica | Marc Coma | KTM 450 Rally |
| 2010 | Buenos Aires-Antofagasta | Cyril Despres | KTM 690 Rally |
| 2009 | Buenos Aires-Valparaiso | Marc Coma | KTM 690 Rally |
| 2007 | Lisbon-Dakar | Cyril Despres | KTM 690 Rally |
| 2006 | Lisbon-Dakar | Marc Coma | KTM LC4 660R |
| 2005 | Barcelona-Dakar | Cyril Despres | KTM LC4 660R |
| 2004 | Clermont-Ferrand- | Nani Roma | KTM LC4 660R |
| 2003 | Marseille- | Richard Sainct | KTM LC4 660R |
| 2002 | Arras-Madrid- | Fabrizio Meoni | KTM LC8 950R |
| 2001 | Paris-Dakar | Fabrizio Meoni | KTM LC4 660R |
| 2000 | Paris-Dakar-Cairo | Richard Sainct | BMW F650RR |
| 1999 | Granada-Dakar | Richard Sainct | BMW F650RR |
| 1998 | Paris-Granada- | Stéphane Peterhansel | Yamaha YZE850T |
| 1997 | Dakar-Agades- | Stéphane Peterhansel | Yamaha YZE850T |
| 1996 | Granada-Dakar | Edi Orioli | Yamaha YZE850T |
| 1995 | Granada-Dakar | Stéphane Peterhansel | Yamaha YZE850T |
| 1994 | Paris-Dakar-Paris | Edi Orioli | Cagiva Elefant 900 |
| 1993 | Paris-Dakar | Stéphane Peterhansel | Yamaha YZE850T |
| 1992 | Paris-Sirt- | Stéphane Peterhansel | Yamaha YZE850T |
| 1991 | Paris-Tripoli- | Stéphane Peterhansel | Yamaha YZE750T |
| 1990 | Paris-Tripoli- | Edi Orioli | Cagiva Elefant 900 |
| 1989 | Paris-Tunis-Dakar | Gilles Lalay | Honda NXR800V |
| 1988 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Edi Orioli | Honda NXR800V |
| 1987 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Cyril Neveu | Honda NXR750V |
| 1986 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Cyril Neveu | Honda NXR750V |
| 1985 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Gaston Rahier | BMW GS980R |
| 1984 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Gaston Rahier | BMW GS980R |
| 1983 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Hubert Auriol | BMW GS980R |
| 1982 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Cyril Neveu | Honda XR550 |
| 1981 | Paris-Dakar | Hubert Auriol | BMW GS800R |
| 1980 | Paris-Dakar | Cyril Neveu | Yamaha XT500 |
| 1979 | Paris-Dakar | Cyril Neveu | Yamaha XT500 |
Dakar Rally Truck Champions:
| Year | Route | Driver | Make |
| 2021 | Jeddah–Ḥaʼil | Dmitry Sotnikov | Kamaz 43509 |
| 2020 | Jeddah–Riyadh–Qiddiya | Andrey Karginov | Kamaz 43509 |
| 2019 | Lima–Lima | Eduard Nikolaev | Kamaz 43509 |
| 2018 | Lima–La Paz–Córdoba | Eduard Nikolaev | Kamaz 4326 |
| 2017 | Asunción–La Paz–Buenos Aires | Eduard Nikolaev | Kamaz 4326 |
| 2016 | Buenos Aires–Salta-Rosario | Gerard de Rooy | Iveco PowerStar |
| 2015 | Buenos Aires–Iquique- | Ayrat Mardeev | Kamaz |
| 2014 | Rosario-Salta–Valparaíso | Andrey Karginov | Kamaz |
| 2013 | Lima–Tucumán–Santiago | Eduard Nikolaev | Kamaz |
| 2012 | Mar del Plata–Arica–Lima | Gérard de Rooy | Iveco PowerStar |
| 2011 | Buenos Aires-Arica | Vladimir Chagin | Kamaz |
| 2010 | Buenos Aires-Antofagasta | Vladimir Chagin | Kamaz |
| 2009 | Buenos Aires-Valparaiso | Firdaus Kabirov | Kamaz |
| 2007 | Lisbon-Dakar | Hans Stacey | MAN |
| 2006 | Lisbon-Dakar | Vladimir Chagin | Kamaz |
| 2005 | Barcelona-Dakar | Firdaus Kabirov | Kamaz |
| 2004 | Clermont-Ferrand- | Vladimir Chagin | Kamaz |
| 2003 | Marseille- | Vladimir Chagin | Kamaz |
| 2002 | Arras-Madrid- | Vladimir Chagin | Kamaz |
| 2001 | Paris-Dakar | Karel Loprais | Tatra |
| 2000 | Paris-Dakar-Cairo | Vladimir Chagin | Kamaz |
| 1999 | Granada-Dakar | Karel Loprais | Tatra |
| 1998 | Paris-Granada- | Karel Loprais | Tatra |
| 1997 | Dakar-Agades- | Peter Reif | Hino |
| 1996 | Granada-Dakar | Viktor Moskovskikh | Kamaz |
| 1995 | Granada-Dakar | Karel Loprais | Tatra) |
| 1994 | Paris-Dakar-Paris | Karel Loprais | Tatra |
| 1993 | Paris-Dakar | Francesco Perlini | Perlini |
| 1992 | Paris-Sirt- | Francesco Perlini | Perlini |
| 1991 | Paris-Tripoli- | Jacques Houssat | Perlini |
| 1990 | Paris-Tripoli- | Villa | Perlini |
| 1988 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Karel Loprais | Tatra |
| 1987 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Jan de Rooy | DAF |
| 1986 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Giacomo Vismara | Mercedes-Benz |
| 1985 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Karl-Friedrich Capito | Mercedes-Benz |
| 1984 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Pierre Lalleu | Mercedes-Benz |
| 1983 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Georges Groine | Mercedes-Benz |
| 1982 | Paris-Alger-Dakar | Georges Groine | Mercedes-Benz |
| 1981 | Paris-Dakar | Adrien Villette | ALM/ACMAT |
| 1980 | Paris-Dakar | Ataquat | Sonacome |