Dakar 2013 Quad category set for a dogfight

Growing interest in quads, together with the traditional culture of cross-country racing in South America, has helped the quad category flourish ever since the Dakar first came to the continent in 2009. 40 quads representing 12 nationalities will be on the start line in Lima on January 5, a threefold increase on the 13 quads which featured in the last Dakar in Africa.

Half of pilots in the field hail from one of the three host countries - Argentina, Chile and Peru. They have not only been the most numerous contingent in the last few editions of the Dakar, but also the strongest, with Spanish-speaking pilots claiming 9 out of 12 podium places in the last four years!

The Patronelli's family saga will enter a new chapter in 2013, as Marcos finds himself without two-time champion Alejandro, who is skipping this year's rally for professional reasons. Marcos already proved he was unfazed by solitude when he won the rally in 2010, but this year round he will come up against much tougher rivals on the tracks and dunes.

A fellow Argentinean, Tomás Maffei, is ready to step out of the Patronellis' shadow and improve on last year's third place. Other big names from South America are Chile's Ignacio Casale and Uruguay's Sergio La Fuente, who rounded off the Top 5 in the last edition and are hungry for more.

But the greatest threat could very well come from overseas. Sonik finished on the podium in 2011 and 2009, respectively, but they were disqualified last year because their vehicles did not meet the technical requirements laid down in the rulebook. They will be extra careful and extra determined to win this year.

Newcomers to a discipline are rarely ranked among the favourites, but it would be unfair to slap the "rookie" label on a pilot like Kees Koolen, who has already finished the Dakar in a motorcycle and a single-seat buggy and is now eager for a new challenge in this category. It would be even more unfair for Emirati Sebastian Husseini, who has never had a taste of the Dakar before, but was crowned World Champion in 2007.

The 2013 Dakar rally runs from January 5 to 20, 2013, and will take in Argentina, Chile and Peru. Further details can be found at www.dakar.com

Images: copyright A.S.O., courtesy of DPPI Media