Every evening there is a briefing. As an example, this is from Stage 5 – they receive a document with a simplified map, which offers indications of the main checkpoints and fuel stops, etc.
•
DSS – K 40 : Alternating tracks and fast plateau
• K 40 –K 75: Alternating plateau and fast sandy winding track, lots of pace changes
• K 75 –K 140: Alternating slow tracks, fast tracks and off-piste. Tricky navigation.
• K 155 –K 200: Alternating less visible tracks and off-piste
• K200 –NEU: Less sandy tracks, alternating fast and slow tracks
• NEU –CP7: Off-piste in hills, tricky navigation. Tracks are fast, sometimes very fast.
Careful, lots of wide tracks and routes crossing
• CP7 –ASS: Slower tracks, more technical and stony.
Then at the end, some rough canyons and alternating between fast and slow tracks until ASS.
Each rider/driver will take a mental note of these and the road book, which is the route, is uploaded to the bike/car 10 minutes before they depart.
STAGE EIGHT
AL DUWADIMI > RIYADH
Liaison > 250 km – Special > 483 km
The cars and bikes are on a separate course again tomorrow. James starts at 6.56am, with a 72km road ride to the 484km Special and 178km to the bivouac on the road.
The
Special stage is 300 miles, which equates to Lands End to Silverstone Circuit!
After a solid performance today, James came home in provisional P36 Rally 2 (P47 overall in stage).
He leaves at 6.06am for a 112km liaison then the 357km Special with a 120km to the new bivouac location.
The Special Stage is the equivalent of Portsmouth to Oulton Park! 212 miles.
STAGE NINE
“Stage 9 was going well until an electrical issue. Managed to supply fuel pump directly by chopping some wires about. Lost about an hour but made it 2 finish
then onto the bivouac.
WTF Racing boys are on it now.” – James
STAGE TEN
This is a monster.. the liaison ride alone is 520km.
260km on the road, then 115km Special stage followed by the 260km home.
Imagine riding from Birmingham to the Snetterton race circuit, then doing 23 laps, a quick sandwich and back to Birmingham.
Another awesome performance for James on the Kove 450 F!
He started P70 after yesterday’s breakdown, but climbed back up to P56 overall on stage 10 and that’s P47 in Rally 2.
He likes the dunes of the Empty Quarter it seems!
STAGE ELEVEN
SHUBAYTAH > SHUBAYTAH
Liaison > 232 km – Special > 308 km
James starts at 6.10 from P57.
It’s
116km to the 308km Special Stage, with a return of 116km.
STAGE UPDATE
Due to fog, the start of the Special Stage was delayed due to not being able to fly helicopters.
The stage has also been cut short and will finish at 152km.
STAGE TWELVE
The FINAL Stage of Dakar Rally 2025 and it’s a MASS START… James starts in the first wave of 15 riders setting off at 8.00am local
James Hillier you have 130km left of this Dakar, you’ve had all sorts of thrown at you, but we are all behind you to just bring it home.
James: “
Bit late to post but that’s Dakar over. Just finished another 1700km drive with the team getting trucks back to the port and will soon be flying home. A Massive thank you to everyone who played a part of the giant jigsaw puzzle to make this project happen. Certainly had its ups and downs with a tough start being ill and then injury but I’d be lying if said I wanted it easy. Dakar is about endurance and fighting through what ever it throws at you, adapting the way your brain naturally wants to operate towards the easy way out. But there is no easy way here and that’s what I like about it. To me this race is about getting to that finish line and conquer what ever the desert hits you with, alongside like minded others chasing that same goal. The TT is a totally different race for me with a desire and drive to try and win but Dakar is about the adventure and total unknown of just what’s over that next sand dune. More updates soon on YouTube. Big sleep required tonight thanks again, Goodnight.”
