Rally Paris-Dakar 1989
1989 Dakar Rally also known as the 1989 Paris-Dakar Rally was the 11th running of the Dakar Rally event. The course went through Libya for the first time. A record 209 of the 473 competitors completed the rally.[1] The rally was won by 1981 world rally champion, Ari Vatanen.[2] The motorcycle class was won by Gilles Lalay.[1]
· 1st stage : Paris – Barcelona (Prologue)
The Peugeots are already the quickest to swallow up the 6.3 km of prologue in Barcelona. Vatanen, victim of a roll-over, puts in
the seventh-best time. In the motorcycle class, Peterhansel turns in the best finish.
· 2nd stage: Tunis – Tozeur (liaison 647 km)
Rather wide pistes and relatively few pitfalls: this liaison stage unfolds without incident.
· 3rd stage: Tozeur – Ghadames (724 km, including 308 km of special)
Following torrential rains, the stage is modified. But this does not stop the Peugeots for hitting another triple, this time with Ickx,
Fréquelin and Vatanen. In the same stroke, Ickx's 405 also takes the top place in the overall standings. Italy's Terruzzi is the
fastest on a motorcycle. But Colonel Kadhafi steals everyone's moment in the spotlight by offering free gas for refueling to the
entire caravane.
· 4th stage: Ghadames – Sabha (819 km, including 469 km of special)
This all-Libyan stage put the drivers to the test with a final 100-km stretch that is exceedingly difficult. Following a dust-up at the
beginning of the special, the motorcycle standings are rearranged. Spaniard Mas finishes ahead of the other bikers and in the
car class, Peugeot crushes the competition by achieving a third win, place, show finish in three specials (another victory for
Jacky Ickx). Vatanen reaches second place in the general rankings.
· 5th stage: Sabha – Tumu (620 km of special)
Vatanen, Ickx and Cowan arrive at Tumu in that order. The same triumvirate repeats at Dirkou. In the overall standings, Ickx and
Vatanen hold nearly two hours over Zaniroli. Italian De Pétri dominates the first special but the second is simply called off
because the refueling truck cannot make its mark.
· 6th and 7th stages: Tumu – Dirkou – Termit
Patrick Tambay, triumphs in the hellish dunes and occupies fourth place in the overall standings over two hours behind Ickx.
Picco is able to avoid the trapes and win the special. He moves ahead of Lalay in the overall standings with a 53- minute lead.
· 8th stage: Termit – Agadez (535 km of special)
Niger again and again the Ténéré. The private Italian team of Seppi/Pelanconi takes the stage in a big six-cylinder Mercedes.
The Tambay-Lemoyne tandem incur an hour for Peugeot, as they fall victim to mechanical problems and now stand at 3rd place
overall. Top honors go to French bikers Lalay, Peterhansel and Neveu, who sweep the top spots. Moreover, Lalay moves within
10 minutes of Picco.
· 9th stage: Agadez – Niamey (541 km, including 325 km special)
For the first time, Peugeot gets its four cars into the first four positions. Vatanen takes the stage, but Ickx keeps the overall lead.
In the motorcycle class, Italy's De Pétri comes out first in the scratch for the second time on his Cagiva.
· 10th stage: Agadez – Niamey (427 km, including 220 km special)
The close-quarter battle rages on between Ickx and Vatanen. The Finn is drawing inexorably closer to the Belgian. Number
"100" on his bike and number "200" in his buggy, Auriol is mired at 100th place in the overall standings. Peterhansel wins the
motorcycle scratch, where Picco and Lalay are still neck and neck.
· 11th and 12th stages: Niamey – Gao – Timbuktu
On pistes that are completely mangled by heavy rains, Stéphane Peterhansel finds a way out and wins both specialsl
(Mangaize-Gao and Gao-Timbuktu). Vatanen pulls off the same feat and advances to within two minutes of Ickx in the overall
standings.
Victory in the 11th edition of the Paris-Dakar comes down to Gao for Peugeot. Jean Todt, who fears for the safety of his drivers,
decides that chances must determine the order of arrival. It will be Vatanen ahead of Ickx.
· 13th stage: Gao – Bamako (881 km, including 379 km special)
A seventh special for Vatanen. Peterhansel and Picco lose sight of the route and are lost. Gilles Lalay, fourth in this special won
by Orioli, moves into first place in the overall standings with eight minutes on the competition.
· 14th stage: Bamako – Labe (852 km, including 501 km of special)
Gilles Lalay strikes back. He prevails in the scratch and forges a 34-minute lead over Picco in the overall standings. Shinozuka,
on his Mitsubishi, wins his first scratch of this Dakar.
· 15th stage: Labe – Tambacounda (448 km, including 380 km of special)
In the green hell of Guinea, Terruzzi beats out the other motorcycles and Fréquelin is the best in a car. Lalay gets lost, but is
lucky enough to spot Picco, who had been following him.
· 16th stage: Tambacounda – Saint-Louis (512 km, including 203 km of special)
A dramatic shift in the car race! Ickx pockets the special and takes the leader's spot thanks to an error by Vatanen, who gets
lost. Peterhansel takes yet another scratch.
· 17th stage: Saint-Louis – Dakar (257 km, including 70 km of special)
Two scratches for Peterhansel during the victory lap that crowns the end of this rally. In the car class, Vatanen, conqueror of the
scratch, gets his due. Meanwhile, Wambergue wins the last special. Vatanen, on a 405, secures his second Dakar title after the
1987 version. In the motorcycle class, "Number 100" did bring good luck to Gilles Lalay, who wins the rally on a Honda. In the
marathon category, Dessoude-Leran of Nissan and Toussaint of Honda, take the top honors.
11th PARIS - TUNIS - DAKAR
· Start: 25 December 1988 from Paris
(Porte de Versailles)
· Finish: 13 January 1989 in Dakar (Rose Lake)
· Rest: 3 January 1989 in Agadez
· Length of rally: 10,831 km
· Number of kilometers of specials: 6,605 km
· Countries crossed: France, Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Mali,
Guinea, Senegal
NUMBER OF COMPETITORS: 473
- At the start: 241 cars
155 motorcyles
77 assistance trucks
- At the finish: 209 véhicles
100 cars
60 motorcycles
including 49 assistance trucks
· 1st stage : Paris – Barcelona (Prologue)
The Peugeots are already the quickest to swallow up the 6.3 km of prologue in Barcelona. Vatanen, victim of a roll-over, puts in
the seventh-best time. In the motorcycle class, Peterhansel turns in the best finish.
· 2nd stage: Tunis – Tozeur (liaison 647 km)
Rather wide pistes and relatively few pitfalls: this liaison stage unfolds without incident.
· 3rd stage: Tozeur – Ghadames (724 km, including 308 km of special)
Following torrential rains, the stage is modified. But this does not stop the Peugeots for hitting another triple, this time with Ickx,
Fréquelin and Vatanen. In the same stroke, Ickx's 405 also takes the top place in the overall standings. Italy's Terruzzi is the
fastest on a motorcycle. But Colonel Kadhafi steals everyone's moment in the spotlight by offering free gas for refueling to the
entire caravane.
· 4th stage: Ghadames – Sabha (819 km, including 469 km of special)
This all-Libyan stage put the drivers to the test with a final 100-km stretch that is exceedingly difficult. Following a dust-up at the
beginning of the special, the motorcycle standings are rearranged. Spaniard Mas finishes ahead of the other bikers and in the
car class, Peugeot crushes the competition by achieving a third win, place, show finish in three specials (another victory for
Jacky Ickx). Vatanen reaches second place in the general rankings.
· 5th stage: Sabha – Tumu (620 km of special)
Vatanen, Ickx and Cowan arrive at Tumu in that order. The same triumvirate repeats at Dirkou. In the overall standings, Ickx and
Vatanen hold nearly two hours over Zaniroli. Italian De Pétri dominates the first special but the second is simply called off
because the refueling truck cannot make its mark.
· 6th and 7th stages: Tumu – Dirkou – Termit
Patrick Tambay, triumphs in the hellish dunes and occupies fourth place in the overall standings over two hours behind Ickx.
Picco is able to avoid the trapes and win the special. He moves ahead of Lalay in the overall standings with a 53- minute lead.
· 8th stage: Termit – Agadez (535 km of special)
Niger again and again the Ténéré. The private Italian team of Seppi/Pelanconi takes the stage in a big six-cylinder Mercedes.
The Tambay-Lemoyne tandem incur an hour for Peugeot, as they fall victim to mechanical problems and now stand at 3rd place
overall. Top honors go to French bikers Lalay, Peterhansel and Neveu, who sweep the top spots. Moreover, Lalay moves within
10 minutes of Picco.
· 9th stage: Agadez – Niamey (541 km, including 325 km special)
For the first time, Peugeot gets its four cars into the first four positions. Vatanen takes the stage, but Ickx keeps the overall lead.
In the motorcycle class, Italy's De Pétri comes out first in the scratch for the second time on his Cagiva.
· 10th stage: Agadez – Niamey (427 km, including 220 km special)
The close-quarter battle rages on between Ickx and Vatanen. The Finn is drawing inexorably closer to the Belgian. Number
"100" on his bike and number "200" in his buggy, Auriol is mired at 100th place in the overall standings. Peterhansel wins the
motorcycle scratch, where Picco and Lalay are still neck and neck.
· 11th and 12th stages: Niamey – Gao – Timbuktu
On pistes that are completely mangled by heavy rains, Stéphane Peterhansel finds a way out and wins both specialsl
(Mangaize-Gao and Gao-Timbuktu). Vatanen pulls off the same feat and advances to within two minutes of Ickx in the overall
standings.
Victory in the 11th edition of the Paris-Dakar comes down to Gao for Peugeot. Jean Todt, who fears for the safety of his drivers,
decides that chances must determine the order of arrival. It will be Vatanen ahead of Ickx.
· 13th stage: Gao – Bamako (881 km, including 379 km special)
A seventh special for Vatanen. Peterhansel and Picco lose sight of the route and are lost. Gilles Lalay, fourth in this special won
by Orioli, moves into first place in the overall standings with eight minutes on the competition.
· 14th stage: Bamako – Labe (852 km, including 501 km of special)
Gilles Lalay strikes back. He prevails in the scratch and forges a 34-minute lead over Picco in the overall standings. Shinozuka,
on his Mitsubishi, wins his first scratch of this Dakar.
· 15th stage: Labe – Tambacounda (448 km, including 380 km of special)
In the green hell of Guinea, Terruzzi beats out the other motorcycles and Fréquelin is the best in a car. Lalay gets lost, but is
lucky enough to spot Picco, who had been following him.
· 16th stage: Tambacounda – Saint-Louis (512 km, including 203 km of special)
A dramatic shift in the car race! Ickx pockets the special and takes the leader's spot thanks to an error by Vatanen, who gets
lost. Peterhansel takes yet another scratch.
· 17th stage: Saint-Louis – Dakar (257 km, including 70 km of special)
Two scratches for Peterhansel during the victory lap that crowns the end of this rally. In the car class, Vatanen, conqueror of the
scratch, gets his due. Meanwhile, Wambergue wins the last special. Vatanen, on a 405, secures his second Dakar title after the
1987 version. In the motorcycle class, "Number 100" did bring good luck to Gilles Lalay, who wins the rally on a Honda. In the
marathon category, Dessoude-Leran of Nissan and Toussaint of Honda, take the top honors.
11th PARIS - TUNIS - DAKAR
· Start: 25 December 1988 from Paris
(Porte de Versailles)
· Finish: 13 January 1989 in Dakar (Rose Lake)
· Rest: 3 January 1989 in Agadez
· Length of rally: 10,831 km
· Number of kilometers of specials: 6,605 km
· Countries crossed: France, Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Mali,
Guinea, Senegal
NUMBER OF COMPETITORS: 473
- At the start: 241 cars
155 motorcyles
77 assistance trucks
- At the finish: 209 véhicles
100 cars
60 motorcycles
including 49 assistance trucks