Nissan Rally Raid Team Dakar 2003
Published: 21st December 2002
The Dakar desert race is a potential logistics nightmare. On 12 December, Nissan South Africa will start the long journey to France, along with their three racing Pickups, spares and 18 team personnel. The personnel and a fleet of 10 vehicles will then follow the race for 19 days, through the South of France and Spain, then across North Africa from Tunis to the Red Sea.
A Safair Hercules C130 cargo plane will be taking the team for the first step of the journey. It will carry the race cars – each weighing 1750 kg – as well as the equivalent of an additional vehicle in spares. They will also transport additional gearboxes, six sets of spare brake discs, 12 complete sets of brake pads, three sets of lightweight bodywork, six sets of suspension components, eight differentials, windscreens and a mountain of tools and tool chests, a total of four tonnes of equipment in all.
The three Pickups will use around 60 BF Goodrich tyres during the event, and Nissan will also take 116 OZ wheelrims and tyre-changing equipment. Radiator water – around 180 litres – is also transported, while around 3500 litres of high-octane fuel per Pickup will be purchased from the organisers.
A full service is planned for the halfway stop at Siwa, in Egypt; the rules state that the engine block is the only par that cannot be changed, and virtually all the running gear will be replaced at this point.Telefonica Dakar 2003 Route
| 30 & 31 December 2002 | Scrutineering in Marseille (Parc Chanot) |
| Wednesday 1 January 2003 | MARSEILLE - NARBONNE: 265 km Prologue :1km. Parc Chanot (night)-Liaison : 264km |
| Thursday 2 January | NARBONNE - CASTELLON: 540 km Liaison : 540km (A 40-km stage may be added) |
| Friday 3 January | CASTELLON-VALENCIA: 450 km Liaison : 5km – Special Stage : 25km – Liaison : 60km Boarding to Tunis (1 day and 2 nights) |
| Saturday 4 January | Boat Transfer to Tunisia |
| Sunday 5 January | TUNIS – TOZEUR : 463 km Liaison : 89km – Special Stage: 25km – Liaison : 349km Assistance route: 450km |
| Monday 6 January | TOZEUR – EL BORMA: 278 km Liaison : 13km – Special Stage : 228km – Liaison : 37kmA ssistance route: 298km |
| Tuesday 7 January | EL BORMA – GHADAMES : 278 km Liaison : 13km – Special Stage: 228km – Liaison : 37km Assistance route : 298km |
| Wednesday 8 January | GHADAMES – GHAT : 691 km Liaison : 5km – Special Stage: 584km – Liaison : 181km Marathon leg. No assistance at the bivouac. Assistance route to Sabha: 837km |
| Thursday 9 January | GHAT – SABHA: 727 km Liaison : 46km – Special Stage: 497km – Liaison : 181km |
| Friday 10 January | SABHA – ZILLA : 585 km Liaison : 6km – Special Stage: 567km – Liaison : 12km Assistance route: 506km |
| Saturday 11 January | ZILLA – SARIR : 554 km – Pas de GPS Liaison : 31km – Special Stage : 521km – Liaison : 2km Assistance route: 740km |
| Sunday 12 January | SARIR – SIWA: 586 km Liaison : 1km – Special Stage: 438km – Liaison : 147km Assistance route: 735km |
| Monday 13 January | Rest day in SIWA |
| Tuesday 14 January | SIWA – SIWA : 445 km Liaison : 57km – Special Stage: 341km – Liaison : 47km Assistance route: 55km |
| Wednesday 15 January | SIWA – DAKHLA : 657 km Liaison : 47km – Special Stage : 569km – Liaison : 41km Assistance route: 920km |
| Thursday 16 January | DAKHLA – LOUXOR : 702 km Liaison : 53km – Special Stage : 274km – Liaison : 375km Assistance route: 542km |
| Fridayi 17 January | LOUXOR – ABU RISH : 56 km – No GPS Liaison : 13km – Special Stage: 34km – Liaison : 9km |
| Saturday 18 January | ABU RISH – SHARM EL SHEIKH: 828 km Liaison : 413km – Special Stage : 365km – Liaison : 50km Assistance route: 634km |
| Sunday 19 January | SHARM EL SHEIKH – SHARM EL SHEIKH: 56 km Liaison : 13km – Special Stage: 34km – Liaison : 9km |
Details Of The Competition
| 17 stages: | 3 in Europe |
3 in Tunisia |
|
| 5 in Libya |
|
| 6 in Egypt |
A total of 8 552 km, including 5 216 km of special stages
and 3 306 km of liaison.
In Africa:
- 7 642 km in total, including 5 205 km of specials
- 7.797 km for the assistance
- 1 rest day: Siwa
- 1 loop stage: Siwa - Siwa
- 1 marathon stage without assistance: Ghadamès - Ghat
- stages without GPS: Silla - Zarir et Louxor - Abu Rish
- Longest stage: Abu Rish - Sharm El Sheikh (828 km)
- Shortest stage: Sharm El Sheikh - Sharm El Sheikh (56 km)
- Longest special stage: Ghadames - Ghat (584 km)
- Shortest special stage: Tunis - Tozeur (25 km)