Étienne Lavigne: “The Dakar has never been so good”

How is this edition of the Dakar shaping up?

I want to say, a little provocatively, that the Dakar has never been so well... After 35 years of existence, the Dakar remains the benchmark event, which holds a truly special place in the motorsport... A much-maligned event at one time, it has today become a benchmark in environmental terms... On the authorities' side, there are real consultations, for example with archaeologists, contrary to what certain NGOs would have us believe who take advantage of us as a media sounding board.

Do you think that Peugeot will be competitive from the start?

The Peugeots approached preparations for the Dakar with considerable energy and motivation. Their roadmap is lucid, rigorous, and at the same time full of humility. Let's not forget that for Volkswagen, too, the beginnings were difficult. The people at Peugeot know that the challenge is not simple, that special stages of 500km or more are far removed from their recent automobile culture...

The full interview with Étienne Lavigne can be discovered in issue 1991 of AUTOhebdo, still available in digital version and on newsstands. This issue also includes a presentation file for the Dakar as well as the viewer's “roadbook”.