Dakkar rally 2021

Reli Dakkar 2021 akan berlangsung mulai 3 Januari 2021.

https://www.dakar.com/en/dakar-world/categories

Lightweight vehicles bring together the T3 and T4 categories. T3s (race number on a violet
background) are prototypes crafted by specialised makers, a launchpad for seasoned crews and the
last step before the car category. T4s (race number on a white background) are based on production
vehicles also known as SSVs. This booming category gives competitors the opportunity to make
affordable changes to their vehicles, which remain quite similar to their production counterparts.

The aim of this category is to allow numerous amateurs to participate in an economical and fun
category. This new class also enables big teams and makers to detect up-and-coming talents.

Equipped with fuel tanks no larger than 130 litres and a range of 250 kilometres, these vehicles stop
at the same refuelling stations as the motorbikes.

https://www.dakar.com/en/news/2021/ssv-can-am-at-the-helm/168315

Among the slim-line buggies (also known as Light Weight Vehicles) weighing less than 900 kg and with
an engine size restricted to 1000 cc, 46 have enrolled for the Dakar 2021 in the T4 category, namely
production vehicles prepared for the rally. This category of SSVs is dominated by Can-Am, whose
leading ambas-sadors for victory will be Francisco “Chaleco” López, Gerard Farrés, Reinaldo Varela or
Aron Domżała, whereas the Polaris will be lying in wait ready to spring a surprise. Alongside the T4
vehicles, 12 other buggies of the same size are registered in the T3 category, as prototypes designed
exclusively for the race. Among the compet-itors behind the wheels of these light prototypes, British
rally driver Kris Meeke for PH-Sport could muscle his way into the clan of major players on his first
par-ticipation on the Dakar, but the RedBull team should make life difficult for him, avec Mitch
Guthrie and Seth Quintero.
Not so long ago, and not without a hint of contempt, some people used the term “lawn mowers” to
refer to the light buggies making their appearance on the Dakar. Since then, opinions have changed
regarding the category, which now can boast a field of considerable size and whose crews are no
longer only seduced by the more accessible cost of the vehicles in relation to the cars traditionally
found on the rally. From now on, the performance level reached due to a greater number of rivals
fighting for the crown has made them competitive and the title up for grabs has increased in value,
attracting the discipline’s champions. In this way, former biker Francisco “Chaleco” López made an
extremely successful switch to the SSV discipline with victory in 2019, raising his total of stage
victories to 17, taking both of his careers on the Dakar into account. The Chilean will be among the
favourites to win, but will have to deal with a dense pack of rivals, even within his own team South
Racing, for whom he will be notably competing alongside Spaniard Gerard Farrés (2nd in 2019),
Brazilian Reinaldo Varela, who triumphed last year, or also Poland’s Aron Domżała, the quickest
amongst the SSVs on the Rally of Andalusia behind the wheel of his Can-Am, finishing even among the
top 10 of the car category (6th). With the promising Austin Jones (8th in 2020) and Spaniard José
Hinojo (5th in 2020) the Can-Am brand, victorious on the last three editions, is not short of kingpins to
put it back on the top of the podium.

For all that, the Polaris RZR vehicles, which can point to their experience even though they have
lagged behind in recent years, have not had their last word and will soon have the opportunity to
shine on their tenth participation in the event. This year, the Xtreme Plus team led by par Marco Piana
will benefit from the presence of Jérémie Warnia, a two-time European Champion behind the
handlebars of a quad and six-time winner of the Quaduro du Touquet, in the attempt join the battle at
the rally’s summit. The Frenchman, a newcomer to the Dakar, could count among the category’s
revelations. The renewal of the brand’s chances could also come from America, thanks to the
participation of the official Polaris RZR Factory Racing team, which will be giving Dakar aficionados the
opportunity to get to know the couple formed by Wayne and Kristen Matlock, who have gobbled up
victories on the US circuit and who will each be racing in their own T4 vehicle.

Although the differences may not stand out to the naked eye, the light prototypes are classed in the
T3 category. This will therefore be a fully-fledged race category with a dozen vehicles behind the
wheels of which renowned drivers have also decided to take their place. One of the most prominent
rookies on the Dakar, Britain’s Kris Meeke, will be tasting a new discipline (after having won 5 rounds
during his 3 seasons in the WRC) in a T3 christened Zéphyr by the PH-Sport team. The battle could
soon prove to be fierce with Russian Sergey Karyakin, a former winner in the quad category, as well as
with the three prototypes racing for the RedBull team. Young American Mitch Guthrie, at the age of
24 years, already performed sensationally in January 2020 behind the wheel of his OT3 prepared by
Overdrive. He will be joined by Seth Quintero, who had to reach adulthood before trying his luck and
who will be the youngest driver on the 2021 edition at the tender age of 18 years old, though this will
not prevent him from having lofty ambitions. The category will also be enlivened by a competitive
feminine presence, because the third OT3 has been entrusted to Spaniard Cristina Gutierrez (26th in
the car category in 2019) and she will be hoping she proves to be quicker than the duo of Camelia
Liparoti and Annett Fischer. Loyal to the constructor on whose machines she raced in the quad
category, the Franco-Italian rider will especially be teaming up for the Yamaha/X-Raid Team with
former DTM and rally-cross champion Mathias Ekström, another rookie whose performances could
set tongues wagging…

https://www.redbull.com/id-id/2020-dakar-rally-winners-top-five

Perhaps the biggest impression in the SSV category was made by the Red Bull Off-Road Team USA, in
particular the youthful American pairing of Blade Hildebrand and Mitch Guthrie Jr, who were joined
by Dakar legend Cyril Despres, and all three scored stage wins.
Guthrie Jr and Hildebrand both won three stages and Despres, a coaching figure in the team, claimed
one. Reliability proved the team’s Achilles’ heel, Despres retiring first and withdrawing then restarting
under the Dakar Experience rules where results were not counted in the overall standings, and he
eventually handed his engine over to Guthrie Jr.
Both Guthrie Jr and Hildebrand had to enter the latter stages of the rally via the Dakar Experience
rules, but they showed phenomenal pace and that was underlined by a brace of one-two finishes.

Mitchell Guthrie (USA) and Ola Fløene (NOR) of SSV Red-Bull Off-Road Team USA race during stage 10
of Rally Dakar 2020 from Harad to Shubaytah, Saudi Arabia on January 15, 2020.
https://www.redbull.com/za-en/theredbulletin/ot3-dakar-sxs-racing-buggy

Say hello to the OT3 side-by-side (SxS) buggy and its Red Bull drivers, who will take off in their brand-
new vehicle at the 2020 Dakar Rally.
Part of a new generation of racers, the members of the Red Bull Off-Road Junior Program will gain
invaluable experience at the Dakar in the brand new OT3 side-by-side buggy developed by Belgium’s
Overdrive racing team.
Americans Blade Hildebrand, 21 and Mitch Guthrie Jr, 23 will drive under the stars and stripes banner
of Red Bull Off-Road Team USA in Saudi Arabia at the world’s toughest test of motorsport endurance.
Let's take a tour of the new vehicle and learn what makes it a beast capable of carrying our team to
victory at Dakar 2020. Watch the OT3 buggy in action below and keep scrolling down to find out more
about Dakar’s latest mean machine.

“We designed the OT3 from scratch on a sheet of blank paper”, says Overdrive director Jean-Marc
Fortin. Later the monitor came into play, as pictured above.

All OT3s are hand-produced at the Overdrive headquarters in the Belgian town of Villers-le-Bouillet
near Liège. They will be transported from there to the start line of the 2020 Dakar Rally in Saudi
Arabia.

What you won’t find is cladding, which would increase the overall weight of the package. Each cable is
open, and each part fulfills its specific purpose. Safety is the top priority.
Side-by-side-buggies are the lightest Dakar Rally vehicles. The OT3 weighs a very light 890kg thanks to
its carbon and Kevlar body, as well as clever details like this LED lighting (below).

To ensure maximum stability, the OT3 is 2.08m wide – even more than in a high performance SUV like
the Lamborghini Urus, for instance!
“It’s impressive how sharp the OT3’s drive is”, says five-time Dakar Rally winner Cyril Despres after the
first few test runs. And at 1,000 cubic metres with 177 horsepower in its FIA version, its engine is
enough to beat much stronger vehicles on sand.

Another top priority in the design process was ease of access to all parts for any repair work required
out on the dunes. Below, you can see how this looks…

Vulnerable parts have been strategically moved to safe locations, while the underbody is protected
with a continuous aluminium plate.
The SxS-specific disc brake system is provided by US specialist Wilwood, pictured below.

https://offroadracer.com/red-bull-off-road-junior-team-return-to-dakar-with-a-new-line-up-a-new-
partner-and-an-updated-weapon/

he OT3 by Overdrive, the team’s weapon of choice and purpose-built machine meant to take on the
world’s toughest desert races, will also boast a new, more aggressive look. The vehicle’s facelift goes
beyond a more combative look and feel as the OT3 has undergone some significant updates and
package development that the drivers can’t wait to run in Saudi.

The upcoming Dakar Rally kicks off on January 2, 2021 with a prologue stage in the Saudi Arabian city
of Jeddah. Then comes 12 intense stages over perilous terrain before those still remaining in the
convoy reach the finish line back in Jeddah on January 15.

Mitch Guthrie Jr.: “It feels so good to be returning to Dakar 2021. It’s been a long year and the fact
this race is happening is awesome for motorsport. We are incredibly prepared compared to last year
where we were kind of thrown into it. We had many highs and lows last year but learned so much
along the way that will make this year much easier on us. I feel we will be competitive from day one
and am excited to hopefully be battling up front along the way.”

“The base of the OT3 is still there but overall, it’s almost a new car. Overall so many small and big
changes have been made to improve in so many different areas. At this point Ola and I are so
comfortable in the car and also confident in it which is important.”

Seth Quintero: “Competing in Dakar 2021 means a lot to me. Being only 18 years old and able to
compete at such a high level with so many legends of the sport is something that I will never forget.”

“Being the youngest competitor definitely puts some pressure on your back but takes it away at the
same time. I feel like there is going to be a lot of eyes on me and I have a lot to prove since I am so
young, but I’m also very new to the sport. Also being the youngest American to compete in this event
is amazing. I hope this opens up eyes to so many people back home and gets them motivated to start
competing overseas. My main goal is to pave the path for the generation behind me.”

“Having the opportunity to race the OT3 is a blessing. The team has designed an amazing car and
structure in the program. Everybody gets along so well and wants to see the beat for one another. It is
very different from what I race back home, there is less travel, more power, the OT3 is manual, and
many other differences but they also feel similar in a sense that they are both UTVs.”

https://utvactionmag.com/red-bull-ot3-racer/

Can-Am completely schooled the competition in the most Recent Dakar Rally. Red Bull made news of
its own in the 7500-mile torture test with the special Red Bull OT3 Dakar racers it built for the rally.
The machines were a secret until just weeks before the rally. Also, the machines weren’t classified as
UTVs until they were entered. Details are still fuzzy about what the machines actually are, but we did
find out they were powered by Volkswagen’s 1000cc, three-cylinder turbo TSI engine.

The car has carbon fiber and Kevlar bodywork but still weighs 1962 pounds. Dakar cars carry lots of
spare parts and have a huge fuel cell (over 20 gallons) to get through the long race stages.
The OT3 has a six-speed automotive VW transmission with race car gears. The front and rear diffs are
identical.

The powerplant is capable of producing 150–200 horsepower, depending on the state of tune.
Because of the long race, conservative boost keeps reliability up. This mill mates to a six-speed
manual transmission. So the machines can deal with Dakar’s terrain, they have four-wheel drive and
A-arms on all four corners.
American drivers Mitch Guthrie Jr., Seth Quintero and former Textron/Speed UTV driver Blade
Hildebrand joined veteran Dakar competitor Cyril Despres for the race in Saudi Arabia. Despres was a
fill-in driver for Quintero who couldn’t compete in January because he was not 18 yet. Guthrie and
Hildebrand both won stages but had issues, costing them an official finish. Cyril failed to finish as well.
This purpose-built car has A-arms for the front and rear suspension. The arms can be swapped from
front to back if needed, allowing you to carry fewer spares.
https://www.dakar.com/en/dakar-world/categories

T1:

The most common type (among professionals and amateurs) is a prototype that meets Federation
Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) technical and safety standards. The base of the vehicle is a
tubular chassis on which mechanical and safety components are mounted.

The bodywork, often made from fibreglass or carbon, usually emulates the profile of a production
vehicle, but these vehicles are entirely designed and developed for competition. They are not found in
dealerships!

T1s are two- or four-wheel drive machines equipped with petrol or diesel-powered engines. They are
the fastest and, often, the most impressive cars in the field.

The best known:

- Nasser Al-Attiyah's TOYOTA Hilux

- Stéphane Peterhansel's JCW BUGGY

- Nani Roma's HUNTER Prodrive

T2:

Their race number is on a white background. These are production off-road vehicles that have been
modified for competition. The concept is relatively simple. Based on a production 4×4 vehicle
purchased from a dealership, modifications are made, following a highly regulated and primarily
safety-oriented preparation: roll cage, bucket seats, fuel tanks…

OPEN:

The OPEN class comprises several subcategories. It includes vehicles meeting technical standards
different from those of the FIA, such as the American SCORE rules for electric vehicles and alternative-
powered vehicles.
https://coroneldakar.nl/tim-and-tom-coronel-to-take-on-the-challenge-of-dakar-2021-with-beast347-
4-0/

HUIZEN (26 November 2020) – In less than a week, #Beast347 4.0, the new competition car for Tim
and Tom Coronel, will be shipped from France to Saudi Arabia for Dakar 2021, the 43rd running of the
legendary off-road rally that will be held from 3-15 January. This evening, the online presentation of
the new car took place, live from the team’s workshop in Huizen in The Netherlands. Based on the
experience from the previous year, various aspects of the car have been improved while the livery has
changed as well. That is the result of the cooperation with LKQ Fource, a major supplier in the
automotive aftermarket segment, supporting the team of Tim and Tom Coronel.

“One of the biggest changes is the arrangement with all the lines and reservoirs,” Tim Coronel
explains. “So far, these reservoirs were placed behind the radiator, but all the fluids were warming up
quite a lot as a result. Now, we put them in front of the radiator, which has several advantages, not
only in terms of temperatures, but also for the centre of gravity of the car. Moreover, they are now
inside the main cage, so that the reservoirs are better protected in case we roll the car, like we did last
year. On top of that, all the fluid lines were dealt with, too, for which we got assistance from a
professional partner. That alone helped us save 18 kilograms of weight, and that is without the fluids
in the lines! We had enough time, so we literally put every part on a kitchen balance. I reckon that we
have saved some 140 kilograms in total.”

The aerodynamics have been modified as well, particularly at the sides of the car. Tim Coronel: “Last
year, we noticed during a sand storm that side winds had quite a big effect on the car. For that, we
found a solution. The chassis has been shortened a bit at the rear as well. We also made some
modifications to the engine to allow for a higher straight-line speed. Last year, we didn’t get beyond
165 km/h, but now, we can reach 183. In the interior, we have made everything mat black to prevent
reflections from the sun, something that hampered us quite a bit last year.”

https://www.endurance-info.com/fr/vecu-en-passager-de-romain-dumas-dans-le-dxx-du-dakar/

Since the last Dakar, the RD Limited DXX entered by Rebellion Motors has evolved. If the engine is still
borrowed from the Ford Mustang, the rest has been well redesigned: lowered roof, new rear
bodywork, new shock absorbers, etc ... Two cars will be at the start of the Dakar on January 3, one for
Romain Dumas and Gilles de Turckheim , his former rally co-driver, one for Alexandre Pesci and
Stephan Kuhni.

https://www.rallye-sport.fr/le-rd-dxx-a-lassaut-du-rallye-raid/

Caractéristiques techniques du RD Limited DXX :

Also rejoining the car category in 2021 is five-time Dakar bike race winner Cyril Despres (FRA). Co-
driving for Despres in their Peugeot 3008 DKR will be explorer Mike Horn (SUI). The duo’s car will be
loaded with sensors to pick up data for their innovative and ambitious project to compete at the 2023
Dakar in a hydrogen-powered vehicle named GEN-Z.