Chinese racers made brilliant breakthroughs at the 45th edition of the Dakar Rally, which was held between December 31, 2022 and January 15, 2023 in Saudi Arabia.
The event was launched in Saudi Arabia in 2020 and this year was its fourth edition, featuring 14 stages starting from the "Sea Camp" near Yanbu to Dammam.
Besides a 13-kilometer prologue, the 2023 Dakar Rally was held over a total of 8,886.51 kilometers across 14 stages, the longest race distance ever since 2014, including over 5,000 kilometers of "specials" or "extreme racing."
Seventy percent of the routes were new to the racers.
According to Dakar.com, "235 of the 355 vehicles that started the 2023 Dakar have made it to the finish: 80 motorbikes (out of 121), 10 quads (18), 46 T1 and T2 cars (67), 38 lightweight prototypes (47), 39 SSVs (45) and all 22 trucks, along with 80 out of 88 crews in the third edition of the Dakar Classic, the regularity race for 20th-century vehicles."
Winners
A review of Chinese racers' results at Dakar Rally 2023
Cars
No. 8 Han Wei and co-driver Ma Li of Hanwei Motorsport Team
No. 16 Zhang Guoyu and French co-driver Jean-Pierre Garcin of BAIC ORV Team
No. 50 Zi Yunliang and co-driver Sha He of BAIC ORV Team
No. 64 Tian Po and co-driver Du Xuanyi of Hanwei Motorsport Team
A screenshot of Han Wei's Weibo post on January 15 about the Dakar Rally. /Han Wei
A screenshot of Zhang Guoyu's Weibo post on January 14 about his finish in the Dakar Rally. /Zhang Guoyu
Zi Yunliang (R) and co-driver Sha He of BAIC ORV Team portrait during a test for the 2023 Dakar Rally near Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, December 28, 2022. /CFP
The Team of Tian Po and Du Xuanyi of Hanwei Motorsport prepare their car for administrative and technical scrutiny at Sea Camp near Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, December 28, 2022. /CFP
"Han achieved the highest finish ever for a Chinese driver in eighth place," noted the Dakar.com.
"Boys always love cars, and I'm just one of them," said Han, who founded his own team Hanwei Motorsport in 2008.
The BAIC ORV Team is owned by the Chinese automobile manufacturer Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd. And ORV is short for "off-road vehicle."
It was the third time BAIC ORV Team had participated in the Dakar Rally.
L-R: Chinese riders Fang Mingji, Zakeer Yakefu, Sunier, Zhang Min, Deng Liansong, and Zhao Hongyi at Dakar Rally 2023. /Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Motorsport Association
Bikes
No. 46 Sunier of Kove Rally Team
No. 55 Zakeer Yakefu of Wupu Dahaidao Rally Team
No. 67 Deng Liansong of Kove Rally Team
No. 68 Zhao Hongyi of Wupu Dahaidao Rally Team
No. 77 Fang Mingji of Kove Rally Team
No. 88 Zhang Min of Wupu Dahaidao Rally Team
Deng Liansong (L) and Fang Mingji of Kove Rally Team race during Stage 11 of the Dakar Rally, between Shaybah and Empty Quarter Marathon, Saudi Arabia, January 12, 2023. /CFP
Sunier, 25, who participated in the Dakar Rally for the first time, topped the Chinese riders' ranking at No. 46 after a time of 57:41:30.
"I first got interested in motorsport thanks to my father's influence. Taking part in the Dakar has been a dream since childhood. I've been inspired by seeing other Chinese competitors doing the rally," Sunier told Dakar.com.
Zakeer Yakefu at the Dakar Rally. /Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Motorsport Association
This year, Zakeer Yakefu's number and ranking are both 55.
Zhao received an award, honoring his generosity. He gave liters of gasoline to Jérome Martiny so the Belgian biker could get to the replacement point in Stage 5.
Dakar Rally's tweet on January 5 about the friendship between Zhao Hongyi and Jérome Martiny. /@dakar
Wupu Dahaidao Rally Team is based in Wupu Town, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Zakeer Yakefu helped the team rise to fame in 2021 after the Chinese motorcyclist improved China's best result in the Dakar Rally to 33rd place.
Kove Rally Team, set up by former Chinese motor-cross rider Zhang Xue, debuted in the world's top rally event this year.
A screenshot of Zhang Min's Weibo post on January 8 shows his blister on the hand after Stage 6 at 2023 Dakar Rally. /Zhang Min
(Cover: Zhang Guoyu of China and co-driver Jean-Pierre Garcin of France compete during the Dakar Rally, Stage 12 between Empty Quarter Marathon and Shaybah, Saudi Arabia, January 13, 2023. /CFP)
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