2003 Dakar Rally

2003 Dakar Rally
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Host country France
 Spain
 Tunisia
 Libya
 Egypt
Results
Cars winnerJapan Hiroshi Masuoka
Germany Andreas Schulz
Mitsubishi
Bikes winnerFrance Richard Sainct
KTM
Trucks winnerRussia Vladimir Chagin
Russia Semen Yakubov
Russia Sergey Savostin
Kamaz

The 2003 Dakar Rally, also known as the 2003 Telefónica-Dakar Rally, was the 25th running of the Dakar Rally event.[1] The rally began on 1 January 2003 at Marseille in France and finished at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt on 19 January, with the course crossing North Africa.[2]

Kenjiro Shinozuka, who won the event in 1997, suffered serious injury in an accident between Ghat and Sabha in Libya.[3][4] Former world rally champion and four times winner of the Dakar Rally, Ari Vatanen, returned to take part in the rally,[5] and won the ninth, thirteen and fifteen stages[6][7][8] French co-driver, Bruno Cauvy died in an accident on the tenth stage when his car went out of control and overturned in sand dunes.[9][10] Stephane Peterhansel took an early lead in the rally,[11] but was forced out in the penultimate stage by mechanical problems.[12] The rally was won for the second time in succession by Japanese driver, Hiroshi Masuoka.[13][14] The motorcycle category was won for the third time by Richard Sainct.

  1. ^ Vesely, Milan (1 March 2003). "The 2003 Dakar rally: showcase for spectacular Africa". African Business. IC Publications Ltd. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  2. ^ "Rally competitors set for start". BBC Sport. 31 December 2002. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  3. ^ "Shinozuka 'out of danger'". BBC Sport. 10 January 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  4. ^ "Shinozuka in coma after Dakar crash". Independent (South Africa). Independent News & Media. 10 January 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  5. ^ "Vatanen on comeback trail". BBC Sport. 4 November 2002. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  6. ^ "Vatanen upstages favourites". BBC Sport. 10 January 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  7. ^ "Vatanen seals stage victory". BBC Sport. 15 January 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  8. ^ "Vatanen claims third stage win". BBC Sport. 17 January 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  9. ^ "French driver dies in Dakar Rally". The Age (Australia). The Age Company Ltd. 12 January 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  10. ^ "Tragedy hits Dakar Rally". BBC Sport. 11 January 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  11. ^ "Peterhansel extends Dakar lead". BBC Sport. 5 January 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  12. ^ "Peterhansel's Dakar dream dies". BBC Sport. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  13. ^ "Japan's Masuoka wins second straight Dakar Rally". Sports Illustrated. CNN/Sports Illustrated. 19 January 2003. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  14. ^ "Masuoka clinches Dakar victory". BBC Sport. 19 January 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-28.