History 1990s

1998 Paris–Granada–Dakar Rally (France–Spain–Morocco–Mauritania–Mali–Mauritania–Senegal)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1998 Paris–Granada–Dakar Rally

Date: January 1–18, 1998

Start Location: Paris, France

Finish Location: Dakar, Senegal

Total Distance: 10,593 km (combined route and special stages)

Competition Stages:5,219km

Surface: Mixed (asphalt liaison, sand, gravel, dunes, rocky desert)

The 1998 Dakar Rally took competitors from the snowy outskirts of Paris, across Europe and deep into Africa, culminating in the legendary finish at Lac Rose near Dakar. This year’s route was especially grueling, with harsh conditions in the Mauritanian desert and strategic detours through Spain and Granada due to safety concerns in the Sahara. With a route stretching over 10,000 km, mechanical strength, navigational accuracy, and physical stamina were pushed to their limits.

Route

Paris to Granada: A snowy and wet European start transitioned into the Spanish plains before boarding for North Africa.
Morocco: Mountainous terrain and rocky deserts tested early strategy and suspension setups.
Mauritania and Mali: Vast stretches of dunes, including Erg Chebbi and the Adrar region, pushed navigation skills and vehicle cooling systems.
Final Mauritania to Senegal: Deep sand and off-piste stages near Nouakchott and St. Louis led to the final push toward Lac Rose.

The route spanned seven countries and featured some of the harshest rally terrain imaginable:

This edition was marked by shifting dunes, violent sandstorms, and days with over 800 km of competitive driving in a single leg — a brutal test of endurance.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Jean-Pierre Fontenay & Gilles Picard · Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution
2nd Place
Bruno Saby & Dominique Serieys · Mitsubishi Pajero
3rd Place
Kenjiro Shinozuka & Henri Magne · Mitsubishi Pajero

Fontenay’s measured pace and consistency through the desert gave Mitsubishi another commanding performance, sweeping the podium and reinforcing their dominance in cross-country rallying.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Sandstorms: White-out conditions during Mauritanian stages delayed several competitors and forced navigation purely by compass and memory.
  • Fatigue Management: Long liaison sections combined with multi-hour competitive stages stretched crew endurance to the limit.
  • Mechanical Attrition: Suspension, drivetrain, and cooling failures were widespread due to relentless terrain changes and high temperatures.

The 1998 Dakar proved once again that victory favors not only the fastest, but the most resilient. Jean-Pierre Fontenay’s win underscored Mitsubishi’s strategic mastery and mechanical preparation across the most extreme rally raid of the year.

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