In the Empty Quarter, a night under the stars for Dakar drivers

Sébastien Loeb au volant de sa Prodrive Hunter. MAXPPP – Gerard Laurenssen

The day was long, seven hours of tracks in the ocean of dunes of the Empty Quarter, on the Saudi side. At 4:00 p.m., the race is interrupted until Friday morning, all drivers must stop at the nearest bivouac.

Most of them had a hard time. The horses of the roaring engines resonated all day in the dune colossi of the Rub al-Khali desert (in French the "empty quarter") usually nicknamed the "abode of silence".

The sun sets, the red, honey and golden dunes darken. The hundred pilots, co-pilots and bikers settle in for the night.

The Belgian Guillaume de Mevius (Toyota) throws his sleeping bag into his freshly installed tent. He is looking forward to this night of wild camping. "It's good to get back to adventure. “It’s a bit like the stories my father told me,” he smiles.

And you, alone in the middle of the desert, what would you take with you? A military survival kit? 😉📦#Dakar2024 pic.twitter.com/DpmEHL9tT6

— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 11, 2024

For several years, XXL bivouacs have been popular on the Dakar, with canteens and fully equipped campervans for the big teams. The organization wanted to set up this sort of return to the fundamentals of the legendary rally-raid with a stage over two days, interspersed with a night spent under the stars, before setting off again to dawn.

Yet comfortable all day in the race, veteran Carlos Sainz (Audi) seems to be struggling to set up his tent. As a good co-pilot, Lucas Cruz comes to his aid. "It's starting to look like something", rejoices the 61-year-old Spaniard, who finishes the first part of the 6th stage provisionally in the lead in the general classification.

Survival ration around the fire

6 p.m., it's chicken time. Sainz, wearing short black jogging pants and high white socks, goes to sit on his camping chair which serves as a makeshift throne, to dine with his colleagues, near the fire.

Left to their own devices, the pilots must spend the night in the desert before resuming the stage. MAXPPP – Gerard Laurenssen

"You look like Michael Jackson like that", jokes Spanish adventurer Nani Roma (Ford M-Sport). The organization provided them with a survival ration: a can of sardines, beans, some biscuits and a stove. The scent of fish perfumes the bivouac.

"That's really what we are going to eat?", asks American driver Seth Quintero (Toyota), wide-eyed. Others were smarter by taking food from their bag. "I indulged myself, I took some freeze-dried goulash", boasts Guillaume De Mevius.

And for Sébastien Loeb (Prodrive) ? "Toasted bread and olive oil", replies the person concerned. The Frenchman has taken up his quarters a little apart. "We don't know who we're going to run into, I took my earplugs. Either way, we're not going to last long, he assures us.

The nine-time world rally champion, still looking for his first Dakar title, wants to stay focused. He tried a poker game the day before by deliberately losing time to start further away and optimize his race.

🌅 + 🚚 = 😍#Dakar2024 pic.twitter.com/Q4zAGpJYSq

— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 12, 2024

Wake up is scheduled around 5:00 a.m. with a first departure for the special at 6:20 a.m. Others have a lighter spirit before returning to their tents. "Save the beans for the car", laughs co-driver Xavier Panseri, looking at his teammate Guillaume de Mevius.

Silent throughout the dinner, the Brazilian Lucas Moraes (Toyota), 3rd last year, did not take long to lie down near the fire, sated, his eyes turned towards the starry night.