Women racing 2023 Dakar Rally – final line-up in Lightweight Prototype and SSV vehicles – Part Two. In less than 48 hours a total of 16 female driver’s and co-driver’s in T3 and T4 categories will take on board the massive challenge to complete the world’s most grueling race over the course of 15 days in the sands of Saudi Arabia.
In fact, a total of 12 women driver’s in Lightweight Prototype and SSV classification will take up the helm to race the 45th edition of Dakar Rally along with 4 female co-driver’s whose knowledge and expertise range from Legend status to rookie.
Take a look at the line-up. Spanish driver Cristina Gutierrez #302 holds top place on T3 table rankings having achieved success as first female to win Dakar Stage in 2021 after Jutta Kleinschmidt’s win in 2005, followed by finishing 2022 Dakar Rally in 3rd place. An extra bonus for the Red Bull Can-Am Factory driver will be change of vehicle to South Racing Can-Am, which will no doubt boost Cristina’s successful results to race and finish her 7th Dakar.
Italian/French driver Camelia Liparoti #311 has set historical record entering her 14th consecutive Dakar Rally which has spanned from debut year in 2010 through to present day. Understanding how Camelia has reached such almighty goals remains beyond words, yet recognizing how much the named ‘Pink Lady’ loves with all her heart racing Dakar, goes someway to explain such fortitude to race Dakar 14x.
Female duo Annett Fischer #307 and co-driver Annie Seel take a leaf out of Camelia’s record book, with Annett stepping into the driver’s seat after partnering with Liparoti in 2020 and 2021. Having finished 15th in 2022 Dakar Rally T3 category, Annett spearheaded changes for preparations to race 2023 Dakar, most notably racing 2022 World Rally Raid Championship along-side Annie, and gaining top 5 finish at Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge earlier this year.
Racing her 2nd Dakar, Saudi born Dania Akeel #312 not only achieved success by finishing 8th in 2022 Dakar Rally T3 classification, but also became the first Saudi women to contest the 14 Stage Rally. Buoyed by witnessing Dakar in Saudi Arabia in 2020, Mashael Alobaidan #320 equals her Saudi female competitor having made debut entry in 2022 Dakar in T4 category. In 2 days time, Mashael will race in T3 along-side co-driver Paolo Ceci from Italy.
For certain, the X-Raid Team line-up of 5 women remains impressive, with Merce Marti #323 and co-driver Lisette Bakker completing the Team’s female contingent of Camelia, Annett, and Annie Seel. Marti set precedent by staging all female crew in debut Dakar Rally entry in 2022, sending empowering message that women can achieve successful results with self-belief, courage, and determination.
Four rookie female driver’s complete the line-up in 2023 Dakar Rally T3 classification. Dutch driver Anja Van Loon #327 has amassed plenty of experience competing in Rallies – ten in fact from Tunisia to Dubai – but never in Saudi Arabia. Anja admits, ‘I’ve experienced the Dakar four times in South America with my dad and brother driving the service truck, but this will be my first time in the race. It’s my dream. I’ve done as many rallies as possible to prepare, but I’ve never been to Saudi Arabia so every day will be a new experience’.
Buggyra Racing Team driver Aliyyah Koloc #344 has spent past 3 years in preparation to race Dakar Rally. At mere 18 years of age, the Dubai born teenager and twin sister of Yasmeen Koloc, has all talent and support to achieve successful results on debut in 2022 Dakar, having recently won 2022 FIA Middle East Cup for Cross Country Baja’s in T3 category.
Brazilian driver Pamela Bozzano #346 not only enters new territory racing Dakar for the first time, but also pushes her racing talent outside her comfort zone, which in the past has been supporting her husband’s racing career. Equally, Patricia Pita Gago #350 from Uruguay has spent time to develop driving skills to tackle racing The Dakar as she describes:
‘I have had the idea of running the Dakar for several years, which is my biggest dream. When I finished the rally season in 2021, I felt that I had completed a stage and I decided that this was a good moment to face the Dakar project. Not only because of the challenge that the race itself represents, but because of everything that has to be done with the car, among other things of gathering the budget’.
In T4 category, Australian driver Molly Taylor #414 takes up the mantle for competing her 2nd Dakar Rally having finished debut 2022 entry in 14th place. Not one to hold back from embracing the most challenging of races, Molly sustains undeniable focus on improving performance on track from racing traditional Rally, to winning 2021 Extreme E, to racing Dakar along-side co-driver Andrew Short.
Final line-up of female competitors in T4 category prompts awareness of Rosa Romero #427 who will be contesting her 10th Dakar as co-driver for fellow Spanish compatriot Pedro Manuel Penate Munoz. While sad that her husband and 2x Dakar Rally winner Nani Roma will not be able to attend, Rosa embraces the opportunity to race when adventure calls, yet again.
Having tasted bitter sweet experience competing in 2022 Dakar Rally in Classic category, Rebecca Busi #447 will pair up with co-driver Giulia Maroni rounding out 4 females competing in T4 classification. In the words of Rosa, what lies ahead can be summed up as:
‘When you know that you are going to spend 1,000 hours, that 1,000 adventures are going to happen to you and that this year is going to be a more complicated Dakar than last year, the main thing is to share it with someone who has the same goal as you. We arrived much better prepared, in terms of driving, car and navigation. The key will be to avoid mechanical problems and navigate well in the sand stages; If we do, I think we’ll end up in a good position’.
2023 Dakar Rally Prologue December 31 Stages 1-14 January 1-15.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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