The 44th edition of the Dakar is coming to its end with hundreds of its competitors travelling 6 500 km of treacherous dunes and desert within 12 stages. Of that distance, 4 000 km comprised special stages and 2 500 km of liaisons. All eyes were on the final stage of the 2022 Dakar Rally which converged 680 km from Bisha to the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah where triumph would be celebrated as the finish podium would be revealed.
Al-Attiyah and Baumel weren’t the first car to cross the finishing line at the metropolitan city which lay on the Western shore of the Red Sea in the Arabian Kingdom but nonetheless clinched a fourth title in a dominant display winning the cars category. After navigation and mechanical issues early into the rally, Sebastian Loeb and Fabian Lurquin were constantly on attack to reduce the deficit but only managed to finish 27 minutes and 47 seconds behind the Qatari and his co-driver. Saudi local Yazeed Al Rajhi and co-driver Michael Orr rounded up the podium 1 hour, 1 minute and 13 seconds off the pace. Local icons Giniel De Villiers and Dennis Murphy placed 5th overall.
The bikes category was hard fought throughout the 12 stages with the top step of the podium constantly trading places with an array of drivers taking temporary glory. In the end, there can only be one victor and that credit was given to Briton Sam Sunderland as he reigned supreme over experienced Chilean rider Pablo Quintanilla who filled into second position and Austrian Matthias Walkner who rounded up the podium. All riders were within 7 minutes of each other after the total 6 500 km travelled.
Highest ranking South African, Bradley Cox finished in an admirable 23rd position or 3 hours 15 minutes and 53 seconds off the interval. Not bad for the 23 year old with Dakar 2022 being his first entry into the gruelling race and only second rally raid yet.
Frenchman Alexandre Giroud took top honors in the Quads with Yamaha Racing – SMX – Drag’on with a total interval time of 50 hours and 51 seconds; two and a half hours ahead of Argentine rookie Francisco Moreno and Pole Kamil Wisniewski who filled the other two steps of the podium.
Lightweight Prototype, SSV and Trucks are still completing their stages but Kamaz looks set for another 1-2-3-4 finish in the Truck category powering the all Russian crews to victory.
