• Paraguay’s capital to stage the start
Yesterday, on Tuesday, 26th April, 2016, the Rally Dakar organisers, ASO, announced the route of the 2017 Dakar. The biggest news is the fact that the route will feature a new hosting country: Paraguay! In early January, 2017, the South American country even will stage the start of the legendary event. The competitors will roll over the start podium in Paraguay’s capital Asunción after also having passed the scrutineering and the administrative checks, there. From there, the rally will take the field to Bolivia where the capital La Paz will be the host for the field on the Rest Day. The final stages will be contested in Argentina where the rally will be finished on 14th January, 2017, in Buenos Aires.
Although the individual stages have not yet been determined, one thing already is clear: in January 2017, the field will have to cope with a long time in Bolivia’s heights: A minimum of five days in Bolivia also mean a long time at a height of 3,500 metres above sea level. Last year, the stages in Bolivia already took several competitors to their very limits. No other capital in the world is located at a height like La Paz and so, even the Rest Day will be an exhausting affair for the competitors.
Sven Quandt, X-raid Team Manager: “Of course we would prefer more sand as sand is the characteristic feature of the Dakar. But the many days in these heights also will take the drivers to their limits – and our MINI ALL4 Racing too. The lack of oxygen makes a negative impact and the differences in temperature also will be more extreme. It will be rather cold in Bolivia while we arguably will have to cope with enormous heat in Argentina. As usual in the Dakar, a perfect preparation will represent the crucial basis in the battle for the win.”
