Wolfsburg (29th December 2004). It is regarded as probably the longest distance in motorsport: The entire 8,956 kilometres of the Dakar Rally, which the Volkswagen works team attacks from the 31st December, means the absolute limits of stress and strain will be tested during the 17-day marathon.

An incredible 5,431 kilometres must be completed under the most adverse conditions against the clock – nearly the total distance of all the Formula 1 races in a season.

 

Volkswagen works driver Jutta Kleinschmidt is convinced, "The layout of the route this year is particularly challenging. The long stages, the tricky terrain in Mauritania and many special features suggest the demands will be extreme.” The organiser has again in increased the degree of difficulty for the 27th running of the world's most famous desert rally: Regulation changes and also daily distances of 600 kilometres or more guarantee even more excitement.

 

The number of GPS coordinates supplied by the organiser for each stage is severely decreased and, as a result, the navigation on each stage more complicated because of the reduced number of reference points. Also, two marathon stages without evening service at the ‘marathon-bivouac' means that 1,207 and 1,487 kilometres must be completed without ‘chase-team' support between the 6th and 7th and 12th and 13th January respectively. In addition, radical dune formations, pass crossings and other inestimable route characteristics promise an incredibly exciting competition. Jutta Kleinschmidt, who scored a stage victory during the Volkswagen Race-Touareg debut one year ago, is convinced: "It will once again be a very, very hard and challenging Dakar Rally.”

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