Endurance racer Stuart Gregory navigates the challenges of the Dakar Rally

KwaZulu-Natal endurance racer Stuart Gregory navigates the treacherous Saudi Arabian dunes at the Dakar Rally, an annual off-road endurance challenge that tests both man and machine across unforgiving terrains.

This year's 48th edition, which kicked off last week and will culminate on January 17, spans a staggering 8,000 kilometres of harsh landscapes, drawing competitors from across the globe, including a strong representation of South African talent.

Hailing from Port Edward on the south coast, Gregory is navigating not on two wheels but from the cockpit of a T1 plus car run by team WCT for PS Laser, with German driver Jürgen Schröder by his side. 

Gregory participated in five previous Dakar events on a motorcycle and this is his second year in a car as a navigator.

"This year has been a roller coaster. In stage one we did well from the back and made up a lot of places and then in stage two we hit a rock and damaged a pipe coming from the engine. Stage three went well and in stage four the car broke down again.

The Dakar Rally is notorious for its complex, often perilous stages, where drivers encounter dust clouds that obscure visibility and slow down progress. "When you come from the back you come though the dust which is dangerous and takes a lot of time," he said.

Gregory's journey to the Dakar Rally began in 2018 when he experienced the thrill of the event for the first time.

"I love Dakar and always dreamed to come here. My first Dakar was in 2019 in Peru in south America. I have always had a passion for it; I dreamed of participating, which led to my second attempt. Unfortunately in my first year my bike broke two days before the finish. I then came for the second and then the next year I wanted to try and do well and have kept coming back.

"I love the challenge. But you always forget how tough it is every year," said Gregory.

He said his best results was at his third Dakar in 2022 when he placed third in the veteran class on motorbikes.

Gregory who is very much a motorbike rider, said his passion is off-road racing mainly on bikes but slowly got into navigating.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE