Dakar

2024 Africa Eco Race: 122 on entry list

5 Mins read
Credit: Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team

With the Dakar Rally set for its fifth run in Saudi Arabia, the Africa Eco Race continues to fill the void left on the legendary route from Europe to the Senegalese capital of Dakar. 122 entrants comprise the field for the 2024 AER, spread across five divisions and sixteen classes.

Philippe Gosselin and Štefan Svitko are at the 2024 Dakar Rally and will not defend their victories in the Car and Bike classes, respectively, though Tomáš Tomeček is back and seeking his third Truck win. Various Dakar regulars have also opted for the AER such as Feryn Dakar Sport, who was barred from running the 2023 Dakar after failing FIA pre-race scrutineering, and 2023 rookie Rubén Saldaña Goñi, who opted to continue working as a ghost rider for Nicola Dutto. Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, the former chairman of Nestlé and Formula One Group, and his brother Andres are racing Mitsubishis after previously entering the 2023 Dakar Classic.

Dutto, the first paraplegic rider to complete the AER in 2020, returns to the race two months after conquering the legendary Baja 1000. His team for both Baja and the AER include Goñi and Julián Villarrubia Garcia.

Amine Echiguer, the 2022 World Rally-Raid Champion in the Rally3 category, is set for his first Africa Eco Race. Marco Aurelio Fontana is also a newcomer to the race, coming over from the cross-country cycling world

Yoshimasa Sugawara enters his first AER since 2020. He holds the record for the most Dakar Rallies started with thirty-six form 1983 to 2019, mainly in a truck before switching to an SSV for his AER début. For 2024, he will race a Suzuki JB64 Jimny.

The AER, being an independent event, often features marques that one won’t see at the Dakar or other World Rally-Raid Championship events. For example, Yamaha—who shuttered their W2RC programme in 2022—is present with the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team and the Ténéré World Raid Team, the latter for non-competitive riders hoping to just get the rally experience via the Ténéré Spirit Experience created last year. Yamaha’s Pol Tarrés and Alessandro Botturi finished 1–2 among bikes with an engine displacement over 700cc at the 2022 AER.

“We are ready for the Africa Eco Race,” said team manager Marc Bourgeois. “It is the longest and toughest race on our calendar. The terrain is some of the most challenging in the world, and this rally is the ultimate test of bike and rider. It is where the Ténéré was born, and it is something extraordinary to return there with the team and back to the bike’s spiritual roots.”

Harley-Davidson will field the Pan America 1250 for Joan Pedrero; although Pedrero and the team successfully completed the FIM Bajas World Cup’s Baja Aragón in 2022, the bike is too large and powerful to meet the sanctioning body’s standards. Aprilia makes their return to international rally raid with the Aprilia GCorse factory team created last January.

On four wheels, Apache Automotive will field two of their hybrid APH-01 cars for FIM Motocross World Championship veteran Gautier Paulin and World Rally Championship driver Pierre-Louis Loubet. Both are new to rally raid, as is their team to an extent as Apache enters their second ever race.

Besides the competitive categories, the race also offers Raid divisions for those in non-compliant vehicles or not looking to contend for the win.

The Africa Eco Race began in Monaco on 30 December 2024 and will conclude in Dakar on 14 January.

Auto/Truck

NumberDriverCo-DriverTeamManufacturerCategory
200Imre VargaToma JózsefVarga Racing TeamToyotaT1
204Bernard AndriuexJean-Pierre ArmandetTTPNissanOpen
205Stefano RossiJacopo CasiniRossi 4×4 ASDNissanExperimental
206Willem Alexander TelleServaas Van HerkWUTA RallysportToyotaOpen
207Teun StamRené BargemanSchijf RallyToyotaT1
208Yoshimasa SugawaraNaoko RoquetEquipe SugawaraSuzukiOpen
209Eric CoquideGregoire CoquideRenault Trucks Rallye RaidNissanOpen
210Pascal FerynKurt KeysersFeryn Dakar SportToyotaT1
220Koen WautersKris Van der SteenFeryn Dakar SportToyotaSSV
250Eric SchianoCamile PourchierHarmat Team RacingPolarisT3
252Rui OliveiraBernardo OliveiraOld Friends Rally TeamCan-AmT4
253Heathcliff ZingrafGregory RevestCasteu TrophyCan-AmSSV
254Frederic HenricyEric BerseyAT4RPolarisSSV
255Philippe ChampigneBruno RobinTeam Adventure 79Can-AmT4
256Carlos VentoCarlos Ruiz MorenoOld Friends Rally TeamCan-AmT3
257Jorge BrandaoRicardo SousaOld Friends Rally TeamCan-AmT4
259Souad MouktadiriFrederic Villers d’ArbouetSouadCan-AmT3
260Gautier PaulinRémi BoulangerApache AutomotiveApacheT3
261Pierre-Louis LoubetFrançois BorsottoApache AutomotiveApacheT3
400Tomáš TomečekPromet Czechoslovak Group TeamTatraT5
401Aad Van VelsenMichel Van Velsen, Marco SiemonsVan Velsen Rally SportScaniaT5
403Cédric FerynBjorn Burgelman, Tom De LeeuwFeryn Dakar SportGINAFT5
409Franck CoquideJean-François Delaval, Daniel PenkallaRenault Trucks Rallye RaidRenaultT5
433Antonio CabiniCarlo Cabini, Raffaella CabiniOrobica RaidMercedes-BenzT5
435Giulio VerzelettiGiuseppa FortunaOrobica RaidMercedes-BenzT5

Classic

NumberDriverCo-DriverTeamManufacturer
280Eric ClaeysTom ClaeysClaeysonToyota
281Jean-Michel BoyerMartin TheriezMcQueenPorsche
282Markus BodzentaEwald HollerHekla CompetitionVolvo
283Peter Brabeck-LetmatheJean-Michel GayteCasteu TrophyMitsubishi
284Andres Brabeck-LetmatheLaurent MagatCasteu TrophyMitsubishi
285Rene DeclercqJohn DemeesterClaeysonCan-Am

Raid Auto/Truck

NumberDriverCo-DriverTeamManufacturerCategory
351Amaury le RouxCaroline le RouxMPS OutillageFordAuto
352Bertrand LessardJacques PeleLessard/PeleToyotaAuto
353Anne DouxDiane DouxDoux n’ DouxToyotaAuto
354Cristina BoffettaAndrea BonardiBisiachLand RoverAuto
355Szalay BalázsDaniel Mezei, ADAm VagraBudapest Dakar Raid TeamMitsubishiAuto
356László BunkocziSoma Bunkoczi, Ákos SzentkutiBudapest Dakar Raid TeamIsuzuAuto
360Mauel EggingerTobias BöhmigPorsche Zentrum InntalPorscheAuto
361Werner EhrentrautSvetlana MorelEO163PorscheAuto
362Andreas SculzDetlef RufPorsche Zentrum InntalPorscheAuto
363Fatmir LangmeierDominic LangmeierFatmir LangmeierPorscheAuto
364Christian HoellwarthVincent HoellwarthChristian HoellwarthPorscheAuto
365Reinhold RiemenspergerDietmar HenkeEO163PorscheAuto
366David van DorenAlexander PeetersFeryn Dakar TeamToyotaAuto
370Bruno BisiachPaolo BisiachBisiachIVECOTruck

Moto

NumberRiderTeamBikeClass
103Alessandro BotturiTénéré Yamaha Rally TeamYamaha700cc
105Joan PedreroHarley-DavidsonHarley-Davidson1000cc
107Stefano ChiussiOffroad CrewHusqvarnaOver 450cc
111Jacopo CeruttiAprilia Racing GCorseAprilia700cc
113Pol TarrésTénéré Yamaha Rally TeamYamaha700cc
114Alessandro RuosoTwinsbike Racing TeamYamaha700cc
115Angelo TazzariTwinsbike Racing TeamYamaha700cc
119Pietro Peila Ugo DomenicoOffroad CrewKTMUnder 450cc
120Nicolas BottuUnited We TraceKTMUnder 450cc
122Francesco MontanariAprilia Racing GCorseAprilia700cc
123Robert Van OlstWood BVHusqvarnaUnder 450cc
124Nicolas CharlierTénéré Yamaha Rally TeamYamaha700cc
125Guillaume BorneCasteu TrophyHusqvarnaUnder 450cc
127Giovanni StiglianoJBRallyHusqvarnaOver 450cc
128Nicola QuintoJacque de MolayHusqvarnaUnder 450cc
131Alexandre VaudanCasteu TrophyKTMUnder 450cc
133Andrea GavaNSM Racing TeamBetaOver 450cc
134Thierry CostardLDZ56KTMUnder 450cc
135Bruno ArcuriOrobica RaidHondaUnder 450cc
136Attilo FertFrance Road BookKTMUnder 450cc
137Nicola DuttoOffroad CrewKTMOver 450cc
138Julián Villarrubia GarciaOffroad CrewKTMOver 450cc
139Rubén Saldaña GoñiOffroad CrewKTMOver 450cc
140Antoine DetourbetAntoine DetourbetHusqvarnaUnder 450cc
141Alessandro RigoniSolarys RacingHusqvarnaUnder 450cc
142Francesco TognatoTeam ICEHusqvarnaUnder 450cc
143Kevin DurandRS MotoHondaUnder 450cc
144Marco Aurelio FontanaRS MotoHondaUnder 450cc
145Nuno SilvaOld Friends Rally TeamKTMUnder 450cc
146Jan Hendrik ErbachSolarys RacingKTMUnder 450cc
148Patrick CarillonSARL Hôtel des SourcesKTMUnder 450cc
157Vanessa RuckThe Girl On A BikeKTMUnder 450cc
163Paolo CaprioniTeam KaprionyDucati1000cc
165Rafael Gomez CuestaOffroad CrewKTMUnder 450cc
171Massimiliano GuerriniSolarys RacingHusqvarnaUnder 450cc
174Francesco MuratoriNSM Racing TeamBetaUnder 450cc
177Ai TanakaAI78HusqvarnaOver 450cc
178Gunter SchmutzMalle MotoKTMUnder 450cc
179Pierpaolo VivaldiTwinsbike Racing TeamKTMUnder 450cc
181Marco MenichiniSolarys RacingHusqvarnaUnder 450cc
185Jochaim HellsteinA4plussKTMUnder 450cc
186Richard SkarpaasA4plussKTMUnder 450cc
190Francesco PuocciTeam PuocciKTMOpen
193Giovanni GrittiRS MotoHondaUnder 450cc
195Timothy BradshawMoto JoeHusqvarnaOpen
196Amine EchiguerAmine EchiguerKTMOver 450cc
199Laurent HellemansHellauYamahaQuad

Raid Moto

NumberRiderTeamBike
300David FrétignéRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
301Gemme Martinez FrétignéRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
302Aleandre ScellesRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
303Fabrice SurgetRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
304Daniel AzzougRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
305Patrick MorisseauTénéré World Raid TeamYamaha
306Gregory AugustinRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
307Jerome CalvarRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
308Nicolas QueneyRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
309Michael GaumeGaumeFantic
310Frédéric MiñanaRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
311Jean-François LaurRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
312Dominique LeoniRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
313Xavier GarayRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
314Fabienne CaveliusCaveliusKTM
315Silvano CalderoneRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
316Jean-Louis GrosRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
318Francis WengerRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
319Romain LoriotLoriot Kilomètre engagéKTM
320Benoit BeaufourRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
321Maxime LegrandRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
322Marc LegrandRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
323Vincent PlasVincent PlasAJP
324Nicolas BorratRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
325Cedric PadillaHonda Raid ExperienceHonda
326Alain BiardTeam Concept AdventureKTM
327Stéphane HenryTeam OLRHusqvarna
328François BarroisHonda Raid ExperienceHonda
329Michael GrosTénéré World Raid TeamYamaha
330Julie CarreRaid Africa Twin XperienceHonda
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Justin is not an off-road racer, but he writes about it for The Checkered Flag.
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