1979 Paris–Dakar Rally

1979 Dakar Rally, also known as the 1979 Paris–Dakar Rally was the first running of the Dakar Rally event. The rally began on 26 December 1978 from Paris, France and finished on 14 January 1979 in Dakar, Senegal, interrupted by a transfer across the Mediterranean. Cyril Neveu won the motorcycle category on a Yamaha, while the car category was won by Alain Génestier in a Range Rover.[1]

1979 Dakar Rally
Next event 
The route
Host country France
 Algeria
 Niger
 Mali
 Senegal
Results
Cars winnerFrance Alain Génestier
Range Rover
Bikes winnerFrance Cyril Neveu
Yamaha XT500
Trucks winnerFrance Jean-François Dunac
Pinzgauer

Summary

182 competitors (80 cars, 90 motorcycles and 12 trucks [1]) contested the inaugural Paris-Dakar Rally, departing the Place du Trocadéro on Boxing Day 1978 to embark upon a 10,000 kilometre journey to the Senegalese capital of Dakar via Algeria, Niger, Mali and Upper Volta. All the vehicles that took part were classified together, although they would compete separately in subsequent editions of the race.

Cyril Neveu won the rally aboard a Yamaha despite not winning any individual stages, taking the lead on the sixth stage after Patrick Schaal (Yamaha) fell and fractured his little finger.[1] Jean-Claude Morellet, competing under the alias of "Fenouil", had been running second until he was forced to retire as his BMW suffered engine failure with less than 200 km of the rally left to run. That promoted Gilles Comte (Yamaha) to second and Philippe Vassard (Honda), the only competitor to complete the Bamako-Nioro stage in the originally allotted time before it was extended, to third.[1]

Alain Génestier's Range Rover was the best of the cars in fourth, ahead of the Renault 4 of the Marreau brothers. Neveu's brother Christophe had led early on in the rally after winning two of the first three stages in his Range Rover, but got lost on the stage between Arlit and Agadez along with around a quarter of the remaining competitors.[2]

Stages

Stage Date From To Dist. Winner (cars) Winner (bikes)
1 26 December 1978France ParisFrance Montlhéry3.6France C. NeveuFrance C. Desnoyers
27 December 1978France MontlhéryFrance MarseilleLiaison only
28–30 December 1978Transportation to Africa
2 31 December 1978Algeria AlgiersAlgeria RegganeLiaison only
1 January 1979Algeria RegganeAlgeria In Salah270France J. PrivéFrance C. Rayer
2 January 1979Algeria In SalahAlgeria TamanrassetLiaison only
3 3 January 1979Algeria TamanrassetAlgeria In Guezzam373France C. NeveuFrance R. Potisek
4 January 1979Niger AssamakaNiger Arlit230France G. DaurangeonFrance P. Schaal
5 January 1979Niger ArlitNiger Agadez231France P-L. MoreauFrance J-C. Olivier
4 6 January 1979Niger AgadezNiger Niamey230France C. MarreauFrance J-C. Olivier
5 7 January 1979Niger NiameyMali Gao448Stage cancelled
8 January 1979Mali GaoRest day
6 9 January 1979Mali GaoMali Mopti600France A. GénestierFrance G. Comte
10 January 1979Mali MoptiMali BamakoLiaison only
7 11 January 1979Mali BamakoMali Nioro du Sahel417Italy C. GiraudoFrance P. Vassard
8 12 January 1979Mali Nioro du SahelMali Kayes270None declaredFrance C. Rayer
13 January 1979Mali KayesSenegal BakelLiaison only
14 January 1979Senegal BakelSenegal Dakar96Monaco H. RigalFrance G. Comte
  • The above distances (in kilometres) refer only to the competitive timed part of the stage, which make up 3,168 km.

Leading Results

Pos. No. Competitor(s) Vehicle Class
1 12 France Cyril Neveu Yamaha XT 500 Motorcycle
2 2 France Gilles Comte Yamaha XT 500 Motorcycle
3 23 France Philippe Vassard Honda XL250 Motorcycle
4 162 France Alain Génestier
France Joseph Terbiaut
France Jean Lemordant
Range Rover Car
5 131 France Claude Marreau
France Bernard Marreau
Renault 4 Car
6 23 France Alain Schaecht Honda XL250 Motorcycle
7 143 Italy Cesare Giraudo
Italy Antonio Cavalleri
Italy Mario Cavalleri
Fiat Campagnola Car
8 3 France Christian Rayer Yamaha XT 500 Motorcycle
9 141 Italy Tommaso Carletti
Italy Amarilli Carletti
Fiat Campagnola Car
10 162 France Alain Vandekerkhove
France Daniel Pichot
France Gérard Dutertry
Toyota BJ Car
  • Of the 182 starters, 74 completed the rally.[3]

References

  1. "History of Dakar - RETROSPECTIVE 1979-2007" (PDF). Dakar. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2009-01-07.
  2. "Christophe Neveu". dakardantan.com. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
  3. "Classement du Paris-Dakar 1979". dakardantan.com. Retrieved 2014-12-30.
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