Dakar stages 1 and 2 have been completed, and this is how all the South African participants have done so far:
Saudi Arabia (08 January 2024) – The Dakar is in full swing and, at the time of writing this, is on stage 3. Already, there have been riders who have crashed out, legends who will not cross the finish line and rookies who are making names for themselves.
As we shared earlier this week, there are several South Africans taking part in the rally this year. So, how are they doing?
Stage 1 began in AlUla and will end with Stage 12 in Yanbu. Saturday, the 13th of January, is the only rest day where riders, drivers and crews can catch up on sleep and any major repairs. The route is around 5,000km.
We hope to share updates about the South African riders and drivers every few days for the duration of the Dakar. This is how they have done for the first two stages.
Bradley Cox #18
Bradley started stage one with a bang, taking off across the desert and finishing 4th for stage 1. Sadly, he faced difficulties in stage 2 and ended the day 34th.
Overall, he is 15th in the general rankings. That is a massive accomplishment, so we look forward to seeing how he performs overall.
Michael Docherty #22
Michael, the 2023 Best Rookie, started in 40th place for Stage 1 and earned the fastest time for the day, but sadly, stage 2 proved to be the kicker, and he crashed out of Dakar 2024.
Charan Moore #73
Charan is back, although this time, not to defend his 2023 Original by Motul winning title as he is competing in Rally 2 – A dream turned reality after two years of “Malle Moto”.
Charan ended stage one in 34th place and managed to race his way to 25th by the end of stage 2.
Stuart Gregory #100
Stuart is taking on the Original by Motul for 3rd year in a row. He ended stage 1 in 82nd place and stage 2 in 86th. Overall, he is currently 81st.
Kerim Fitz-Gerald #124
This is the first Dakar for Kerim, and by stage 1, he had placed 41st; this is likely due to being handed down a 30-minute penalty for missing two weigh points. It is currently unclear where Kerim stands within the Dakar rankings as his statistics have not been updated since stage 1, and there is no indication of a crash out.
Ronald Venter #127
Ronald is also taking on the Dakar for the first time. In stage 1, he earned 69th place, and by the end of stage 2, he was at 88th. He is currently ranked at 82nd overall.
Giniel De Villiers (pilot) and Dennis Murphy (co-pilot) #209
Giniel and Dennis are facing some of the best in the industry and leaving them in the dust. The pair placed 3rd in Stage 1 but, due to some difficulties, ended Stage 2 in 22nd place. Overall, they are currently 14th in the Cars category.
Brian Baragwanath (pilot) and Leonard Cremer (co-pilot) #219
Ending stage 1 in 39th place, the duo took on all the desert challenges and completed stage 2 in 20th place. The pair are looking for redemption after crashing out in 2023.
Gareth Woolridge (pilot) and Boyd Dreyer (co-pilot) #225
Both guys are making their Dakar debuts. Stage 1 was filled with lessons, earning them a 66th finish. Stage 2 was a push, and the duo earned a spot at 48.
Saood Variawa (pilot) with French co-pilot Francois Cazalet #226
First-time Dakar Rookie Saood has already shown he has what it takes. Stage 1 ended with an 11th-place position; however, stage 2 proved to be a challenge, finishing in 38th place.
David Guy Botterill (pilot) and Brett Cummings (co-pilot) #243
David and Brett have come in hot. This is David’s first Dakar, while Brett is a seasoned co-pilot. The pair earned a 7th-place finish for Stage 1 and kept the pressure on their competitors, placing 13th in Stage 2.
Hennie De Klerk (pilot) and Juan Möhr (co-pilot) #258
After several years away, Hennie and Juan have kept a steady pace in this Dakar. The duo ended Stage 1 at 117th place and Stage 2 at 161st.
Katherine (pilot) and Stephen Lovemore (co-pilot) #742
Katherine and Stephen are taking on the classics this year. The duo ranked 64th in Stage 1 and worked hard to reach 61st in Stage 2.
Adriaan (pilot) and Riaan Botma (co-pilot) #753
The father-son duo are having the best time, placing 60th in Stage 1 of the Classic and working up to 57th in Stage 2.
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