The Dakar it’s for dreamers, men or women who are not afraid of adversity and who shy away from the black history that has always accompanied the toughest rally on the planet. This Saturday begins in Saudi Arabia a race that bears the name of the Senegalese capital and that since 2007 has not been held in Africa. And like every year, although now it will be from a distance, Juan Porcar will be aware of what happens in middle Eastin a test that has made him, between pilot and organizer, a celebrity.
Porcar was one of those met Thierry Sabine, the creator of the rally and the one who killed himself in 1986 when he followed the helicopter test. “Thierry was a born leader and the one who gave you security for the risks we took on. He gave value to adventure, at a time when there was practically no technology in cars or motorcycles”, recalls Porcar. He made his debut in 1982. He did it with an Ossa and the following year he repeated with a BMW before switching to four wheels and trying to enjoy, if possible, behind the wheel of a car. He raced until 1992 and then repeated in 1997. “In 1988, in the middle of a storm, I won a stage, but since only two cars made it to the finish line, it was eventually cancelled. I managed to finish the Dakar several times in the top ten“.
Still, at 69, they still call him ‘The African’. And for this reason, it is essential to ask him what differences there are between the old Dakar and the current one. “The Dakar, like any other competition, has evolved. A few days ago, in the south of Morocco, I met Jordi Arcarons (another legend of the race) and we remember that in 1987 seven drivers died. And a career is not worth a life. Technology reduces these risks. The adventure factor has been lost, which has given way to safety. Before it was about surviving and now it is a sports competition with obstacles through the desert”.
“A race is not worth a life. Technology reduces these risks. The adventure factor has been lost, which has given way to safety,” says Juan Porcar, former pilot and journalist
14 stages
The Saudi Dakar opens this Saturday to take the competition to 14 stages, two more than usual. Greater hardness if possible to make the challenge impossible. Or not. “It doesn’t matter if there are 12 or 14 stages. The only doubt I have this year is that they have set very short time periods at the end and the first half is still sentenced”, says Porcar.
On January 15, the engines of the cars, motorcycles, trucks, quads, light prototypes and ‘buggies’ will shut down and we will have to start studying the Dakar 2023. “A rally like the Dakar gets ready -explains Porcar—at least one year before. You can’t go as a debutante. It is as if you were going to the Tour de France without having ridden a bike. You need to improve the car or the motorcycle and have a good team”.
There is no great news regarding the favorites with the Qatari pilot, Nasser Al-Attiyah, a classic, on the hunt for a fifth victory. He is the defender of a title that Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel is also aspiring to, who will fight for a 15th victory in the rally, the ninth in cars. “Peterhansel started when I left him. Everything he has done in life as an athlete has been to win”, remembers Porcar.
“She looks like she’s 20 years old”
Of course you will have to register the name of Carlos Sainz in the list of main favorites under cars. The man from Madrid, already 60 years old and at the same time the father of the Ferrari driver of the same name, will fight to climb to the top of the podium for the fourth time. “It is surprising how he takes on the Dakar. He looks like he is 20 years old. Carlos keeps running to win. Riders like him are the ones who make this competition great”, highlights Porcar.
Joan Barreda, on motorcycles, will once again fight against a fate that up to now has prevented him from succeeding as Nani Roma and Marc Coma have done. “Barreda -says Porcar- comes with a personal structure and in the early stages it will be seen how he responds. Years ago it was said that to win the Dakar sometimes you have to go slow. Joan is a very aggressive driver and that has hurt him many times”. There are 8,549 kilometers ahead, in a race that will link the Red Sea with the Persian Gulf. “The return to Africa is still very, very far away, hardly before 10 or 15 years due to wars and political instability,” laments a Porcar who was once called “El Africano.”
