Dakar: More difficult navigation

If the Dakar is a fantastic motorsport race, it requires above all an extraordinary sense of direction. This edition will be even more difficult with reduced navigation assistance.

Published on 28/12/2010 à 15:56

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The crews' road book will be more important than ever during this 2011 edition. Helped by a GPS which is activated to direct the competitors towards the correct ones through which they must pass, the co-pilot will nevertheless have to remain concentrated because this assistance will be found reduced from this year.

Previously, the GPS was activated as soon as the crew passed within three kilometers of a crossing point. But from 2011, it will only be guided when it is less than 800 meters from the objective. ?This rule gives more importance to navigation, that?s certain. And for the co-drivers, it’s a lot of stress! », confirmed Lucas Cruz, the co-pilot of Carlos Sainz.

The co-drivers will have to get used to this new device. “The difficulty is that we can no longer anticipate the following road book notes to find the next point,” added Lucas Cruz. “We must first ensure that the WPM (passage point) is validated, and move on very quickly”.