History 1980s

1981 Paris–Dakar Rally (France–Algeria–Ivory Coast–Senegal)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1981 Paris–Dakar Rally

Date: January 1–20, 1981

Host Countries: France, Algeria, Mali, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), Ivory Coast, Senegal

Surface: Gravel / Sand / Desert

Total Distance: 3,689.50 km (competitive, over ~10,000 km total route)

Total Starters: Over 170 vehicles (cars, trucks, and motorcycles)

Total Finishers: Approx. 60 across all classes

The 1981 Paris–Dakar Rally remained one of the world’s most punishing motorsport events. Spanning across the Sahara and Sahel regions, it challenged competitors with searing heat, endless dunes, rocky passes, and mechanical attrition on a massive scale. René Metge, paired with journalist-turned-co-driver Bernard Giroux, claimed victory in the car category, steering their V8-powered Range Rover through every hazard with calculated resilience. Their success marked the emergence of Metge as one of Dakar’s defining figures.

Route

Algerian Sahara: Towering dunes, soft fesh-fesh dust, and intense heat tested suspension and cooling systems.
Malian River Crossings: Unexpected water hazards and narrow bridges near Mopti and Timbuktu added delays and danger.
Ivorian Jungle Roads: Tighter, overgrown trails with sticky red clay and humidity late in the event.

The rally began at the Place de la Concorde in Paris and concluded on the shores of Dakar’s Lac Rose, cutting through deserts, savannahs, and remote villages across six African nations.

Navigation errors, fatigue, and mechanical failure thinned the field—only those with endurance, mechanical skill, and desert knowledge stood a chance of finishing, let alone winning.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
—
2nd Place
Jacky Ickx & Claude Brasseur · Mercedes 280 GE
3rd Place
Claude Marreau & Bernard Marreau · Renault 20 Turbo 4x4

Metge’s steady pace, vehicle preservation, and sharp navigation gave him the edge over Ickx’s faster but less consistent Mercedes effort. The Marreau brothers showed their usual ingenuity, finishing strong in a modified Renault 20.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Route-Finding: Pre-GPS era—drivers relied entirely on compass headings, hand-drawn maps, and roadbooks.
  • Vehicle Repairs: Many crews made emergency fixes in the desert—carrying spare parts and even welding tools.
  • Physical Strain: Heat, dehydration, and lack of sleep pushed teams to their physical and mental limits.

The 1981 Paris–Dakar Rally demanded survival as much as speed. René Metge’s composure and experience, along with Giroux’s sharp navigation, gave them a legendary win in one of the toughest editions of the rally’s early years.

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