Audi made global headlines with its first Dakar victory

Audi celebrated its first victory at the Dakar Rally on January 19, 2024 and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz their fourth with the fourth different brand. Since 1980, Audi has achieved successes such as victories or championship titles in the World Rally Championship, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, the Le Mans 24 Hours, the American Le Mans Series, the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC, in touring car categories such as the DTM, in super touring cars and in the Trans-Am, in Formula E as well as in the GT2, GT3, GT4 and TCR customer racing categories. With the triumph in the desert, one of the few remaining blank spots on the company’s global motorsport success map disappeared.

“Dakar Rally is the “best professional experience of my life”

The chassis of the winning Audi RS Q e-tron bore the number 110, which Audi Sport completed on July 6, 2023. This prototype then completed the test in Zaragoza, the Baja España Aragón, the test in Morocco, the Rallye du Maroc and a test in Château de Lastours. By then, the car had already completed 5,880 kilometers. Then it was off to the 2024 Dakar Rally, where the car covered a further 8,054 kilometers. It means that number 110 has completed 13,934 kilometers to date.

Dr. Leonardo Pascali has been responsible for the development of the Dakar project as Technical Director since 2023. The doctor of engineering brings with him a wealth of experience from the automotive industry and the racing disciplines of Formula 1 and Le Mans sports prototypes, but has never worked in off-road rallying before. In his own words, having the opportunity to work in this project and then winning the Dakar Rally is the “best professional experience of my life.”

Carlos Sainz for the first time in 2020 and Stéphane Peterhansel a year later

In contrast, vehicle engineer Joan Navarro has been gaining experience in desert rallies since 2013, when he joined Sven Quandt’s team. As a race engineer, he led Nani Roma to victory in the Dakar Rally in 2014, Carlos Sainz for the first time in 2020 and Stéphane Peterhansel a year later. His pride in his fourth victory as Carlos Sainz’s engineer is immense: Joan Navarro has not yet taken off his wristband, which served as access authorization for all team members during the rally, even two weeks after crossing the finish line.