2020 Dakar Rally: Peterhansel, Sainz will have another try with X-Raid

The German team X-Raid announced that two racing veterans and rally legends Stephane Peterhansel and Carlos Sainz will represent the team at 2020 Dakar Rally from January 5 to January 17 in Saudi Arabia.

The thirteen-time Dakar Rally winner Peterhansel and two-time winner Sainz will drive Mini John Cooper Works Buggies for the second time after they joined X-Raid at 2019 Dakar Rally following a couple of years with Peugeot.

Andrea and Stephane Peterhansel

Stephane Peterhansel will be navigated by his wife Andrea while Carlos Sainz will share the cockpit with his long-term co-driver Lucas Cruz.

Stephane and Andrea Peterhansel will compete together at Dakar Rally for the first time, following their season in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, including a win at Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in April.

Mini JCW Buggy in action

X-raid team owner Sven Quandt said: “In Carlos and Stephane, we have two drivers who not only have a lot of experience but are also very familiar with the Mini. As such, we should be well equipped to take on the challenges that await us in January. The same goes for the Mini John Cooper Works Buggy, which we have continuously developed and tested over the course of the season.”

The route of the 2020 Dakar Rally takes the competitors through almost the whole of Saudi Arabia. The rally starts on January 5 in the port of Jeddah. From there, the route runs through the north of the country to the capital Riyadh, where the teams will have a rest day.

The second part of the rally sees the Dakar caravan head to the south – to the so-called Empty Quarter. The finish and podium ceremony will be at Al Qiddia, a city 40 kilometres from Riyadh, on January 17.

2020 Dakar Rally route

Photos: X-Raid, Red Bull,