The Dakar 2022 sets course for the Empty Quarter

Sand, the Dakar 2022 competitors will eat it up. And not just a little! Between January 2 and 14, the rally-raid will offer a tough 100% Saudi route between Ha'il and Jeddah, punctuated by a passage through the dreaded Empty Quarter.

Approached in 2020 for the first relocation to Saudi Arabia, deliberately forgotten in 2021 to concentrate on the north and west of the country, this gigantic desert and sandy area, the size of France, will be crossed from the first days of competition. Enough to create serious gaps even before the rest day in the capital, Riyadh.

“We are going to go very deep into the Empty Quarter, confirms David Castera, Director of the Dakar. Sand, dunes and wide open spaces are the key words of the 44th edition. There will be three stages traced entirely in the sand and crossing dunes. »

The sporting regulations will evolve to rebalance performance between two-wheel drive buggies and 4x4s. Les équipages Toyota Hilux et récemment BRX Hunter s’étaient plaints ces dernières années d’un manque d’équité face aux Mini.

From 2022, the four-wheel drive will benefit from 37 tires for these, 350 mm of suspension travel and tracks widened to 2,30 m wide, in order to achieve figures identical to buggies. On the other hand, the performance of 4x4 engines will be reduced.

Lagrasse is the perfect setting for T3 (Overdrive OT3, Yamaha, Can-Am), it will be possible to add a gearbox, increase the speed limit to 140 km/h (compared to 130 in 2021) and widen the air restriction flange of 2mm.

Once mentioned, visiting neighboring countries remains a dream, at least for another year.