Dakar Rally: current state of Dutch participants in the desert
This year, the Dutch are once again competing in the toughest rally in the world. In Saudi Arabia, participants face extreme heat, long stages and minimal margins for error for days on end. For manufacturers, private drivers and teams, Dakar is still the ultimate rally when it comes to endurance for man and machine. During this rest day, we look at where they are in the standings.
Dutch participants Dakar – Cars
There are several Dutch names on the start line in the car class. Some drive in the top class with a factory team, others as private duos who rely mainly on experience and perseverance, such as the Coronel brothers. These are the best-known names among the cars and their current positions:
- 38 – MITCHEL VAN DEN BRINK, BART VAN HEUN, JARNO VAN DE POL – EUROL RALLYSPORT
- 41 – PUCK KLAASSEN, AUGUSTO SANZ – KTM X-BOW POWERED BY G RALLY TEAM
- 49 – VAIDOTAS ZALA, PAULO FIUZA, MAX VAN GROL – NøRDIS TEAM DE ROOY FPT
- 53 – KEES KOOLEN, JURGEN VAN DEN GOORBERGH – G RALLY TEAM
- 62 – RICHARD DE GROOT, MARTIJN VAN ROOIJ, JAN HULSEBOSCH – FIREMEN RALLY TEAM
- 67 – KAY HUZINK, ROB BUURSEN, GERRIT SCHONEVELD – KUIPERS JONGBLOED HYBRID
- 68 – PAUL SPIERINGS, JAN PIETER VAN DER STELT – REBELLION – SPIERINGS
- 76 – RICHARD ACZEL, WOUTER ROSEGAAR – SOUTH RACING CAN-AM
- 80 – JANUS VAN KASTEREN, MARCEL SNIJDERS – SHIVER Offroad
- 83 – MICHIEL BECX, WOUTER DE GRAAFF – SHIVER Offroad
- 91 – LEX PETERS, MARK SALOMONS – G RALLY TEAM
- 94 – MARTIN VAN DEN BRINK, PETER WILLEMSEN, RIJK MOUW – EUROL RALLYSPORT
- 104 – BEN DE GROOT, AD HOFMANS, GOVERT BOOGAARD – DE GROOT SPORTS
- 108 – PIM KLAASSEN, MARK LAAN – DKR / DaklaPack Rallysport
- 109 – ROGER GROUWELS, RUDOLF MEIJER – SHIVER Offroad
- 115 – TIM CORONEL, TOM CORONEL – TEAM Coronel
- 125 – DICK VAN CULENBORG, MARK KLINKHAMER – REBELLION – SPIERINGS
Dutch participants Dakar – Trucks
These big guys that sometimes weigh more than ten tons jump over the dunes like it’s nothing. The Netherlands has a rich Dakar history in this category, with names like Jan and Gerard de Rooy and Hans Stacey, and there is Dutch input again this year. Here’s the intermediate standings:
- 1 – MITCHEL VAN DEN BRINK, BART VAN HEUN, JARNO VAN DE POL – EUROL RALLYSPORT
- 4 – VAIDOTAS ZALA, PAULO FIUZA, MAX VAN GROL – NøRDIS TEAM DE ROOY FPT
- 5 – RICHARD DE GROOT, MARTIJN VAN ROOIJ, JAN HULSEBOSCH – FIREMEN RALLY TEAM
- 6 – KAY HUZINK, ROB BUURSEN, GERRIT SCHONEVELD – KUIPERS JONGBLOED HYBRID
- 9 – MARTIN VAN DEN BRINK, PETER WILLEMSEN, RIJK MOUW – EUROL RALLYSPORT
- 10 – BEN DE GROOT, AD HOFMANS, GOVERT BOOGAARD – DE GROOT SPORTS
- 13 – EGBERT WINGENS, MARIJE WINGENS – VAN ETTEKOVEN, MARIJN BEEKMANS – DDW RALLY TEAM
- 14 – MARNIX LION, MARCO SIEMONS, BERT VAN DONKELAAR – LION
Dakar remains a Dutch affair
Although the Dakar Rally takes place literally thousands of kilometers from the Netherlands, Dutch involvement remains remarkably high. From seasoned routinarians to rookies chasing their dreams: every year compatriots prove that desert rallies are not just for drivers from sandy countries. The Dakar can be followed through January 17 via this website.
Header photo by Coronel Rally Team