1979 Dakar Rally, also known as the 1979 Paris–Alger–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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
_ru.svg) The route | ||
| Host country |  France Algeria Niger Mali Senegal | |
| Results | ||
| Cars winner | Alain Génestier Range Rover | |
| Bikes winner | Cyril Neveu Yamaha XT500 | |
| Trucks winner | Jean-François Dunac Pinzgauer | |
Summary
editA total of 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]
Entry list
editSource[3]
Number of entries
edit| Stage | Bikes | Cars | Trucks | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start of Rally | 90 | 80 | 12 | 182 |
| End of Rally | 34 | 37 | 3 | 74 |
Vehicles and Categories
editCompetitor list
edit
Entry list — Cars/Trucks
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Stages
edit| Stage | Date | From | To | Dist. | Winner (cars) | Winner (bikes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 December 1978 | Paris |
Montlhéry |
3.6 | C. Neveu |
C. Desnoyers
|
| 27 December 1978 | Montlhéry |
Marseille |
Liaison only | |||
| 28–30 December 1978 | Transportation to Africa | |||||
| 2 | 31 December 1978 | Algiers |
Reggane |
Liaison only | ||
| 1 January 1979 | Reggane |
In Salah |
270 | J. Privé |
C. Rayer
| |
| 2 January 1979 | In Salah |
Tamanrasset |
Liaison only | |||
| 3 | 3 January 1979 | Tamanrasset |
In Guezzam |
373 | C. Neveu |
R. Potisek
|
| 4 January 1979 | Assamaka |
Arlit |
230 | G. Daurangeon |
P. Schaal
| |
| 5 January 1979 | Arlit |
Agadez |
231 | P-L. Moreau |
J-C. Olivier
| |
| 4 | 6 January 1979 | Agadez |
Niamey |
230 | C. Marreau |
J-C. Olivier
|
| 5 | 7 January 1979 | Niamey |
Gao |
448 | Stage cancelled | |
| 8 January 1979 | Gao |
Rest day | ||||
| 6 | 9 January 1979 | Gao |
Mopti |
600 | A. Génestier |
G. Comte
|
| 10 January 1979 | Mopti |
Bamako |
Liaison only | |||
| 7 | 11 January 1979 | Bamako |
Nioro du Sahel |
417 |  C. Giraudo |
P. Vassard
|
| 8 | 12 January 1979 | Nioro du Sahel |
Kayes |
270 | None declared | C. Rayer
|
| 13 January 1979 | Kayes |
Bakel |
Liaison only | |||
| 14 January 1979 | Bakel |
Dakar |
96 |  H. Rigal |
G. Comte
| |
- The above distances (in kilometres) refer only to the competitive timed part of the stage, which make up 3,168 km.
Results
editSource[4]
| Final standings (positions 1–10) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | No. | Competitor(s) | Vehicle | Class |
| 1 | 12 | Cyril Neveu |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 2 | 2 | Gilles Comte |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 3 | 23 | Philippe Vassard |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 4 | 162 | Alain Génestier Joseph Terbiaut Jean Lemordant |
Range Rover V8 | Auto |
| 5 | 131 | Claude Marreau Bernard Marreau |
Renault 4 Sinpar | Auto |
| 6 | 52 | Alain Schaecht |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 7 | 143 | Cesare Giraudo Antonio Cavalleri Mario Cavalleri |
Fiat Campagnola | Auto |
| 8 | 3 | Christian Rayer |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 9 | 141 | Tommaso Carletti Amarilli Carletti |
Fiat Campagnola | Auto |
| 10 | 134 | Alain Vandekerkhove Gérard Dutertry Daniel Pichot |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| Final standings (positions 11–74) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | No. | Competitor(s) | Vehicle | Class |
| 11 | 73 | Jacques Maitrot |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 12 | 65 | Hubert Auriol |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 13 | 21 | Bernard Neimer |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 14 | 34 | Bernard Atanne |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 15 | 64 | Laurent Gomis |
Suzuki SP 370 | Moto |
| 16 | 100 | Hubert Rigal Dominique Rochette |
Range Rover V8 | Auto |
| 17 | 140 | Agostino Tocci Carlo Fucci |
Fiat Campagnola | Auto |
| 18 | 125 | Guy Chambily Michel Desaunay |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| 19 | 41 | Martine de Cortanze |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 20 | 16 | Jean Pierre Dos Reis |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 21 | 74 | Guy Albaret |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 22 | 70 |  Alain Padou |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 23 | 150 | Jean-Jacques Ratet Robert Ignazi |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| 24 | 55 | Alain Martin |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 25 | 139 | Philippe Catel Anne Catel |
Range Rover V8 | Auto |
| 26 | 121 | Michel Delannoy Frédéric Harrewyn |
Toyota Diesel | Auto |
| 27 | 133 | Henri Mouren Henri Braquet |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| 28 | 132 | Pierre Minonzio Jean-Louis Ledentu |
Lada Niva | Auto |
| 29 | 26 | Henri Gabrelle |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 30 | 58 | Eric Popineau |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 31 | 142 | Franco Arbizzi Giovanni Crappolo |
Fiat Campagnola | Auto |
| 32 | 17 | Patrice Taravella |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 33 | 76 | Pierre Berty |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 34 | 29 | Marie Ertaud |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 35 | 13 | Patrick Beaufront |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 36 | 54 | Bernard Gautier |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 37 | 112 | Claude Neveu Gary Carrera Gilles Maurice |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| 38 | 11 | Yves Bon |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 39 | 47 | Daniel Piton |
Kawasaki KL 250 | Moto |
| 40 | 68 | Didier Boucher |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 41 | 135 | Dominique Fougerouse Christine Beckers Marguerite Ondarts |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| 42 | 107 | Christian Duboscq Pierre-Emmanuel Froissart |
Lada Niva | Auto |
| 43 | 10 | Thierry Pascault |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 44 | 180 | Jean-François Dunac François Beau Jean-Pierre Chapel |
Pinzgauer 6X6 | Trucks |
| 45 | 42 | Pascale Geurie |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 46 | 18 | Pierre Mengue |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 47 | 113 | Jean-Michel Bordais Marcel Quie |
Range Rover V8 | Auto |
| 48 | 83 | Bernard Rigoni |
Guzzi TT 500 | Moto |
| 49 | 110 | François Forestier Philippe Meneau |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| 50 | 62 | Alain Vial |
Suzuki SP 370 | Moto |
| 51 | 172 | Jean-Pierre Kurrer Jean-Claude Henriet |
Cournil | Auto |
| 52 | 176 | Claude Sezalory Diven Casarini De Frémont |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| 53 | 117 | Bernard Lemonnier Jacqueline Lemonnier |
Toyota Diesel | Auto |
| 54 | 138 | Gérard Sarrazin Lucette Sarrazin |
Range Rover V8 | Auto |
| 55 | 157 | Dominique Fondrillon Marcel Schaecht |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| 56 | 106 | Max Hugueny Bernard Trévidic |
Toyota Diesel | Auto |
| 57 | 104 | Jean-François Piot Pierre Raux Jean-Pierre Boulme |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| 58 | 28 | Max Commençal |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 59 | 192 | Daniel Petit Françis Mare |
Unic | Trucks |
| 60 | 101 | Maurice Calamel Michel Calamel |
Land Rover | Auto |
| 61 | 175 | René Banino Henri Legourriérec |
Toyota BJ | Auto |
| 62 | 166 | Jean Dominique Clément Anne Clément |
Land Rover | Auto |
| 63 | 72 | Guy Leconte |
Yamaha XT 500 | Moto |
| 64 | 57 | Thierry Roghe |
Honda XL 250S | Moto |
| 65 | 19 | Grégoire Verhaeghe |
Honda XL 125S | Moto |
| 66 | 171 | Philippe Chapel Sannier Yves Belleville |
Range Rover V8 | Auto |
| 67 | 174 | Michel Puren Pierre Dumas |
Range Rover V8 | Auto |
| 68 | 170 | Gil Guillot Patrice Pradeau |
Cournil | Auto |
| 69 | 164 | Olivier Turcat Dominique de Araujo |
Cournil | Auto |
| 70 | 118 | Pierre Chamagne Raymond Thérage |
Peugeot 504 | Auto |
| 71 | 103 | Daniel Nollan Philippe Hayat Jean-Pierre Domblides |
Renault KZ | Auto |
| 72 | 187 | Alain Mekki Jean Neault |
Unic | Trucks |
| 73 | 165 | Marc André Philippe Puyfoulhoux |
Peugeot 404 Plateu | Auto |
| 74 | 127 | Pierre Bouille Gilles Morel |
Renault 5 | Auto |
References
edit- ^ a b c d "History of Dakar - RETROSPECTIVE 1979-2007" (PDF). Dakar. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2009-01-07.
- ^ "Christophe Neveu". dakardantan.com. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
- ^ "Dakar Historic Book 2024".
- ^ "Paris-Dakar 1979 - Classification". dakardantan.com.