Dakar rally kicks off in Peruvian capital
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E-mail CNTV, January 7, 2013
Now the Dakar rally has its origins in Africa, where it was held for three decades. But security reasons forced the event to switch continents five years ago, and it looks like its new home continent is embracing the off-road race.
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Dakar rally kicks off in Peruvian capital. |
Setting off into the desert, motorbikes, four-wheel-drives, dune buggies and some huge trucks. Destination Santiago but on an 8,000 kilometre all-terrain route. The drivers will compete criss-crossing deserts and mountains in Peru, Chile, Argentina then back into Chile again.
This is the fifth Dakar rally to be held in South America and the first to begin in Peru and judging by the turn-out here, motorsport has a big future on the continent. It's looking to be so popular, in fact, they might even have to change the name of the rally.
The Dakar rally began as the Paris-Dakar rally in 1978. But in 2009, the annual race switched continents and hemispheres after the 2008 Dakar rally was cancelled due to security concerns.
A seasoned Dakar racer and the man who won it last year, Nasser Al-Attiyah, said he was enjoying racing in South America.
Qatari team driver Nasser Al-Attiyah said, "It's completely different you know because you see the people in South America. When you go to Africa you don't have enough motorsport. Here you see the people like it."
The Qatari prince said he was looking to be crowned winner for a second year. Meanwhile South American teams also made a strong showing in the eighty percent amateur line-up. The Argentine team driver, Omar Gandara, is delighted the race is closer to home.
Omar Gandara said, "We are very happy because economically it's difficult for an Argentinian to race in Africa so it's fantastic that it's come to America, above all South America, and that they've chosen our beautiful dunes and valleys in both Chile, Peru and Argentina. I hope we have Dakar for many more years."
After more than 30 years of competing in Africa's toughest terrain, South America is proving rugged enough to be Dakar's new home.
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