The legendary Dakar Rally 2023 is a 45th racing marathon and the 4th in a row held in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As previous this marathon organized by the Amaury Sport Organization (ASO).
The marathon starts on 31/12/2022 and will goes until 15 of January, becoming a first battle stage of 2023 W2RC (World Rally-Raid Championship).
The actual scheme of proposed racing cours was published in advance on 05/06/2022. The race will take a start near the city of Yanbu-el-Bahr at the "Sea Camp", on the Red Sea coast with and in Dammam, on the Persian Gulf coast.
Schedule and route of Dakar Rally 2023
On 2023 year the race again will course at Rub-al-Khali desert (Empty Quarter). Up to 70% of the run is a new route, with fewer liaisons. 5000 kilometers will be allocated for special stages.
According to ASO info the crews will face with a difficult and long route, comparing last years, with huge dune's quantity.
TIMELINE OF DAKAR 2023
- Registration: from 06/06 to 31/12/2022
- Homologation checking: 28-30/11/2022 on the Circuit Paul Ricard near the French village of Le Castellet
- Arrival in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 27-28/12/2022
- Podium ceremony: 31/12/2022
- Prologue race start: 31/12/2022
- Dakar 2023 start: 01/01/2023
- Finish in Dammam: 15/01/2023
Stage Date Start Finish Total/Special
Prologue Saturday December 31, 2022 Sea Camp Sea Camp 10 km / 10 km
1 Sunday January 1, 2023 Sea Camp Sea Camp 603 km / 368 km
2 Monday January 2, 2023 Sea Camp Al-'Ula 590 km / 431 km
3 Tuesday January 3, 2023 Al-'Ula Ha'il 669 km / 447 km
4 Wednesday January 4, 2023 Ha'il Ha'il 573 km / 425 km
5 Thursday January 5, 2023 Ha'il Ha'il 646 km / 375 km
6 Friday January 6, 2023 Ha'il Riyadh 917.74 km / 358 km
7 Saturday January 7, 2023 Ad Dawadimi Ad Dawadimi 641.47 km / 473 km
7 Saturday January 7, 2023 Riyadh Ad Dawadimi 861 km / 333 km
8 Sunday January 8, 2023 Ad Dawadimi Riyadh 822.94 km / 346 km
- Monday January 9, 2023 Riyadh Rest day
9 Tuesday January 10, 2023 Riyadh Haradh 710 km / 439 km
10 Wednesday January 11, 2023 Haradh Shaybah 623 km / 114 km
11 Thursday January 12, 2023 Shaybah Empty Quarter 426 km / 275 km
12 Friday January 13, 2023 Empty Quarter Shaybah 375 km / 185 km
13 Saturday January 14, 2023 Shaybah Al Hofuf 669 km / 154 km
14 Sunday January 15, 2023 Al Hofuf Dammam 414 km / 136 km
| Stage | Date | Start | Finish | Total/Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prologue | Saturday | December 31, 2022 | Sea Camp | Sea Camp | 10 km / 10 km |
| 1 | Sunday | January 1, 2023 | Sea Camp | Sea Camp | 603 km / 368 km |
| 2 | Monday | January 2, 2023 | Sea Camp | Al-'Ula | 590 km / 431 km |
| 3 | Tuesday | January 3, 2023 | Al-'Ula | Ha'il | 669 km / 447 km |
| 4 | Wednesday | January 4, 2023 | Ha'il | Ha'il | 573 km / 425 km |
| 5 | Thursday | January 5, 2023 | Ha'il | Ha'il | 646 km / 375 km |
| 6 | Friday | January 6, 2023 | Ha'il | Riyadh | 917.74 km / 358 km |
| 7 | Saturday | January 7, 2023 | Ad Dawadimi | Ad Dawadimi | 641.47 km / 473 km |
| 7 | Saturday | January 7, 2023 | Riyadh | Ad Dawadimi | 861 km / 333 km |
| 8 | Sunday | January 8, 2023 | Ad Dawadimi | Riyadh | 822.94 km / 346 km |
| - | Monday | January 9, 2023 | Riyadh | Rest day | |
| 9 | Tuesday | January 10, 2023 | Riyadh | Haradh | 710 km / 439 km |
| 10 | Wednesday | January 11, 2023 | Haradh | Shaybah | 623 km / 114 km |
| 11 | Thursday | January 12, 2023 | Shaybah | Empty Quarter | 426 km / 275 km |
| 12 | Friday | January 13, 2023 | Empty Quarter | Shaybah | 375 km / 185 km |
| 13 | Saturday | January 14, 2023 | Shaybah | Al Hofuf | 669 km / 154 km |
| 14 | Sunday | January 15, 2023 | Al Hofuf | Dammam | 414 km / 136 km |
CHANGES AND REGULATIONS OF DAKAR 2023
- Digital road books will be applied for all crews (for motorcycles also).
- Time bonuses for motorcycles that will open the day stage will be applied
- "Mirror routes" as innovation. Several stages will be divided on two separate "route A and B", with randomly located detection points.
- Neutralization zone is cancelled. T2 and T1 categories won't have any breaks in the mid of the marathon.
- The start order has been slightly changed - the T1 and T2 trucks, leaves first, will be from the end of the starting grid. From the 45-th place.
- Reclassification for the top 40 drivers have been cancelled.
- The changes also affected the Dakar Classic. The race will be held along a separate route, consisting of 13 stages, with 2 marathon ones. A new medium speed group will be added for less powerful vehicles.
- Implementation of "biofuels and synthetic" with the expectation that by 2026 top drivers will contest on prototypes with low emission.
