What you have to know about the biggest rally on Earth
Dakar 2017 kicks off on 2nd January. There are 168 riders on the competitor list and Paraguay joins the club for the first time. Here are some important facts & figures that will transform you in a Dakar 2017 specialist.
- Paraguay joins the club. It’s the 29th country visited in the Dakar history and the 5th in South America. The longest stay so far will be in Bolivia. The battle will be decided in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- It’s the 39th edition.
- Six days at more than 3,000 meters altitude. Seven selective sections will be over 400 km with one of more than 500 km.
- 12 stages. Start in Asuncion (Paraguay), rest day in La Paz (Bolivia), arrival in Buenos Aires (Argentina). 9.000 km. One marathon stage, more than 4,000 km of special stage.
- Compass Navigation: the GPS systems have received limited functionalities. The Masked Way Points have been replaced by Controlled Way Points, which are only activated once reached by the vehicle. The system promotes navigation qualities and brings back navigation into the heart of the Dakar.
- Dakar Village Paraguay – Costanera de Asuncion. Friday 30 Dec to Sunday Jan 1.
- Competitor’s Podium in La Paz – Plaza San Francisco – 07 January.
- Dakar Fairs, located in all the provinces of Argentina that the rally runs through. Podium in Buenos Aires – 14 January, in the front of the Argentinian Automobile Club building.
- Marc Coma won’t win the Dakar anymore. He’s the Sporting Director of the 2017 edition.
- Dakar is the 2nd biggest motor racing event in the world, after Formula 1.
- Seven official constructors: KTM, Honda, Yamaha, Husqvarna, Serco, Hero, Zongshen.
- TV production: 10 trucks, 4 SNG for satellite transmission, 3 TV Helicopters, 9 cars in the stages, 11 A.S.O. video journalists, 11 on-board camera systems in race vehicles, 2 super slow cameras, 15 GoPro inside Dakar, 22 editing stations, 45 tons of video equipment.
- Internet: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, DailyMotion, dakar.com, mobile app.
