Charan Moore will return to the Dakar Rally for a third time in 2024, though it will not be for a second straight win in the Malle Moto class. In an interview with Adrian Scholtz, the CEO of South Africa’s FIA/FIM-affiliated racing body Motorsport South Africa, he explained that he intends to race at Dakar again but did not specify which categoryhe will run.
“I won’t be defending my Original by Motul title but I will be on the start line of the 2024 Dakar Rally competing for a new crown,” said Moore. “I will be back on that start line proudly representing South Africa, my federation Motorsport South Africa and each and ever supporter of the journey. Hopefully with the backing of some great partners.”
Malle Moto, officially known as Original by Motul, is the most difficult class as riders—both on bikes like Moore and quads—are not allowed to have outside assistance like crews and must make repairs on their own or relying on their fellow competitors. More barely missed the Malle Moto podium in his Dakar début in 2022 when he finished fourth.
He won the opening stage but faced fierce resistance from Javi Vega and Mário Patrão. The challenges grew when he lost the overall lead to Vega after suffering from gearbox and radiator problems in the tenth and eleventh stages, but won the final three days to seal the victory by over twenty-one minutes; he ended with nine total leg wins. Moore was also twelfth overall among Rally2 bikes.
“In 2022, I was slightly disappointed about the difficulty of the event,” Moore told Scholtz. “Everyone put Dakar on this pedestal as the hardest event on the planet and I found it quite easily achievable. However, 2023 was a completely different story. By far the hardest race of my life. A combination of longer stages, more difficult stages and intense weather conditions created an incredibly challenging Dakar. But I loved every second of it.”
He was not the only South African competing in the class as Stuart Gregory finished tenth and Kirsten Landman in twelfth.
With Dakar out of the way, Moore is mainly focusing on organising the Roof of Africa, a round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship that will take place in Lesoto, Sotuh Africa, on 28–30 September. He will also continue preparing for the next Dakar Rally, and he explained to Scholtz that the “biggest barrier to entry” will be financial.
“But I honestly love this type of racing more than anything I have ever done before in my life, so the goal is to do everything possible to get back in 2024. My next big challenge is definitely finding a partner that shares my vision to compete at this level and shares the same values and ambitions to take on the toughest challenge possible.”
