Paris-Dakar 1979, a motorcycle affair

There were only 20 journalists representing 13 media outlets to cover the first Paris-Dakar, contested from December 26, 1978 to January 14, 1979, including AUTOhebdo. Here is the critical, but indulgent, view that the young magazine took on this unprecedented race.

Published 01/01/2025 à 15:30

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Motorcycles, queens of the first Paris-Dakar © DPPI

Raid or rally this Paris-Dakar? The duration and difficulty of this event (nearly 10 km) would rather lean towards the first solution. Indeed, three weeks, isn't that too long for a speed race? The first timed special was contested after four days of liaison stages. The road book was not always faithful, the mileage indicated was not always exact, mistakes of youth, inevitably there were some, it is forgivable. One thing can especially be criticized about the organizers, it is to have too often lacked firmness in the application of the regulations. To ensure the credibility of such a rally, it is essential to respect the established regulations to the letter. That said, the regions crossed and the pi