Fernando Alonso

After stepping away from Formula 1 at the end of 2018, Alonso explored several major motorsport challenges, including the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Dakar Rally.

In 2020, the two-time world champion entered Dakar with Toyota’s factory team, lining up alongside experienced names such as Nasser Al-Attiyah. His co-driver was Marc Coma, a five-time Dakar motorcycle winner and one of the rally’s greatest navigators.

Alonso showed impressive speed for a Dakar newcomer, regularly running competitively before a heavy crash on stage 10 cost him significant time. Despite the setback, he reached the finish and secured a strong 13th place overall, earning widespread respect for his performance.

Jacky Ickx

A true motorsport legend, Ickx enjoyed success across multiple disciplines. Alongside eight Formula 1 victories and six Le Mans wins, he also conquered the Dakar Rally.

Ickx claimed overall victory in 1983 with Mercedes, but he is perhaps best remembered for his appearances in a specially modified Porsche in the mid-1980s. Although he did not win with the Porsche, the car became an icon of Dakar history and still competes today in the Dakar Classic category.

Jean-Louis Schlesser

Although his Formula 1 career was brief, Schlesser became one of Dakar’s most successful competitors. After debuting in the rally in the 1980s, he went on to design and race his own dune buggies.

His efforts paid off with overall victories in 1999 and 2000. A potential third win slipped away in 2001 due to a time penalty, but his impact on Dakar history remains significant.

Clay Regazzoni

Former Ferrari star and Formula 1 vice-world champion Clay Regazzoni took on the Dakar Rally under extraordinary circumstances. After a serious accident at Long Beach left him confined to a wheelchair, the Swiss driver still decided to face the world’s toughest rally.

In 1988, Regazzoni entered Dakar driving a Tatra truck, but failed to reach the finish. One year later, he tried again in the car category with Mercedes, yet once more did not make it to the end. His Dakar attempts remain a powerful example of determination and courage beyond racing results.

Jacques Laffite

Jacques Laffite approached the Dakar Rally in a more varied way. The former Formula 1 race winner competed in the event with a car in 1988, before returning several years later on two wheels.

In 1995, Laffite took on Dakar again, this time riding a motorcycle, underlining both the rally’s unique appeal and his willingness to embrace completely different challenges after his circuit racing career.

Patrick Tambay

Patrick Tambay raced in Formula 1 between 1977 and 1986 and claimed two grand prix victories with Ferrari. Shortly after leaving F1, he turned his attention to the Dakar Rally.

Tambay made his Dakar debut in 1987 and immediately won a stage. One year later, he achieved an impressive third place overall. He went on to compete in several more editions of the rally, with his final Dakar start coming in 1997.