The Dakar, David Richards' last project before retirement?

The BRX structure will engage a 4x4 with a V6 petrol engine 400 horsepower twin-turbo on the tracks of Saudi Arabia. This will be the first time that Prodrive, accustomed to the circuit (with the BAR adventure in F1 et Aston Martin en Endurance) and at rally (BMW M3 Group A then the Subarus in WRC), will tackle the rally-raid.

The stable director, David Richards, said a little more about this ambitious project. “Certain events stand out from other competitions within the same sport. For motorsport, I would say that this applies to the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but also the Dakar. »

The race has been running for many years, and we have been waiting for the right opportunity to take part. This is the kind of situation where the planets had to align, which is finally the case. We have the opportunity to build what I consider to be the ideal vehicle for the Dakar”, explains the former co-pilot, aged 68.

“At Prodrive, we are lucky to be able to create a car from a blank sheet of paper. We started by asking ourselves what would be the best engine for this type of event? Then the same thinking focused on the chassis, the bodywork, the design, etc. It's a long journey. »

Indeed, David Richards estimates the duration of the reflection on this project at four years. He also had revealed his desire for Dakar in the Carpooling that AUTOhebdo had dedicated to him in April 2018 (#2164)!

“Construction started two years ago, but we probably have to add two years in the evaluation process. »

The Briton at the head of Prodrive since 1984 could take a step back after this engagement in the Middle East. This perspective pushes him to give the best of himself in order to end his career with his head held high. “There remains a challenge that we have never tackled. A challenge that everyone says is one of the most difficult in motor sports. It's the Dakar. »