Rally Paris-Dakar 1990
1990 Dakar Rally also known as the 1990 Paris-Dakar Rally was the 12th running of the Dakar Rally event. 465 competitors started from La Défense.[1] The rally was won by 1981 world rally champion, Ari Vatanen, for the third time in four years.[2] The motorcycle class was won by Edi Orioli.
· 1st stage : Tripoli – Ghadames (539 km, including 273 km of special)
Patrick Tambay is forced to leave the race because of an engine breakdown. On wide, rolling pistes that are also somewhat
trying, Ari Vatanen sets the tone with his win. Spain's Arcarons, on a Cagiva, achieves his first stage victory in the Paris-Dakar.
· 2nd stage: Ghadames – Ghat (707 km, including 609 km of special)
Now we are getting into the thick of it. In giant, soft dunes, Vatanen and Orioli, the reigning champions, turn in the best times.
Peugeot earns its first triple in this 1990 edition of the Dakar.
· 3rd stage: Ghat – Sabha (687 km, including 446 km of special)
Vatanen wins another scratch, accompanied this time by Gilles Picard in the motorcycle class. Vatanen and Orioli lead in the
overall standings. Moreover, three Peugeots occupy the three top spots in the general rankings while Vatanen already has more
than a 1.5-hour lead over the number four driver, Servia (Range Rover).
· 4th stage: Sabha – Tumu (641 km of special)
A difficult departure after a very wet evening. Peugeot and Yamaha, flush with triples in their respective classes, make no efforts
to hide their ambition: Vatanen, Waldegard and Ambrosino in cars; Neveu, Peterhansel and Picard on bikes. Although Vatanen
is crowing at the top of the overall standings, it is nevertheless De Pétri on his Cagiva who is leading the dance of the twowheelers.
· 5th stage: Tumu – Dirkou (504 km of special)
De Pétri and Orioli on their Cagiva get their revenge on Yamaha. For once, Vatanen lets the scratch slip away from him.
Waldegard seizes the opportunity, but still sits at the top of the Dakar's general rankings. Noteworthy: the disqualification of
Jean-Louis Schlesser, who was clearly aware that by replacing his entire engine block he would be disqualified (this move is
strictly forbidden by the official rules).
· 6th stage: Dirkou – N’Gourti (497 km of special)
Peterhansel is the man of the hour. He prevails in the scratch for the first part of the marathon stage and also takes the overall
lead. Success is sweet for the French driver because at the same moment, his wife gives birth to his son, young Nicolas.
· 7th stage: N’Gourti– N’Djamena (647 km, including 499 of special)
Continuation and conclusion of the marathon day, but a poor day for Yamaha: Neveu falls, Picard misses his departure time and
Peterhansel runs out of gas and slips into third place overall. However, Cagiva takes win, place, show with the victory of Orioli in
N’Djamena. The Italian pilot also manages to move into the top slot overall ahead of Spain's Mas. Vatanen secures another
scratch and continues to sail along in the top spot.
· 8th stage: N’Djamena – N’Guigmi (483 km, including 425 km of special)
Vatanen extends his lead. Stéphane Peterhansel does the same as he engages in a fierce battle with Orioli. But the Italian
clings stubbornly to his lead position.
· 9th stage: N’Guigmi – Agadez (780 km of special)
Shinozuka and Magne take the scratch and puch Vatanen back by more than 30 minutes. Orioli also emerges as the big winner
in the Ténéré. He takes advantage of Peterhansel's disqualification, Neveu's mechanical troubles and Lalay's fall.
· 10th stage: Agadez – Niamey (483 km, including 198 km special)
De Pétri proves to be the fastest on his bike, while the Waldegard-Fenouil duo dominates the other cars.
· 11th stage: Agadez – Niamey (431 km, including 222 km special)
Spaniard Mas and Finn Vatanen arrive victorious in Niamey. The overall standings remain unchanged.
· 12th stage: Niamey – Gao (638 km, including 492 km of special)
A navigation stage during which Shinozuka triumphs, pocketing his second scratch. A close call for Vatanen who was not able
to avoid a tree blocking the path and lost more than 40 minutes. The Cagivas secure the first two positions thanks again to
Arcarons and De pétri.
· 13th stage: Gao – Timbuktu (412 km of special)
On sinuous terrain and a very technical piste, Picard and Wambergue are the swiftest ahead of Auriol and Ickx.
· 14th stage: Timbuktu – Nema (674 km of special)
Waldegard kicks into gear. He takes his second scratch. De Pétri is best on his Cagiva. Orioli maintains the lead in the general
rankings.
· 15th stage: Nema – Tidjikja (738 km, including 458 km of special)
The Néga pass is fatal for the Range driven by Pescarolo-Fourticq, which will not make it to Dakar. Ickx demonstrated the
excellent performance ability of his Lada. In the motorcycle class, Mandelli on a Gilera got the better of the sand.
· 16th stage: Tidjikja – Kayes (685 km, including 485 km of special)
Rahier and Cowan win the last real special. Hubert Auriol must withdraw as his engine is no longer responding.
· 17th and 18th stages: Kayes – Saint-Louis – Dakar
On the 40 km of the last special of this rally, between M’Boro and Lake Retba, Wambergue and Picco finished in a maelstrom.
In the overall standings, Italian Edi Orioli records a second victory in the Dakar. However, it is a first for Cagiva, which pockets
its first title. A third triumph for Finland's Ari Vatanen and a hat trick for Peugeot, which retires from the Dakar at the top of its
game. The marathon class is won by Maluda (Honda) among motorcycles and by Gaviot-Bondenet for the cars (Toyota).
12th PARIS - TRIPOLI - DAKAR
· Start: 25 December 1989 from Paris
· Finish: 16 January 1990 in Dakar (Rose Lake)
· Rest: No rest day
· Length of rally: 11,420 km
· Number of kilometers of specials: 8,564 km
· Countries crossed: France, Libya, Niger, Chad, Mali,
Mauritania, Senegal
NUMBER OF COMPETITORS: 465
- At the start : 236 cars
136 motorcycles
93 trucks
- At the finish : 133 véhicles
including 64 cars
46 motorcycles
23 trucks
· 1st stage : Tripoli – Ghadames (539 km, including 273 km of special)
Patrick Tambay is forced to leave the race because of an engine breakdown. On wide, rolling pistes that are also somewhat
trying, Ari Vatanen sets the tone with his win. Spain's Arcarons, on a Cagiva, achieves his first stage victory in the Paris-Dakar.
· 2nd stage: Ghadames – Ghat (707 km, including 609 km of special)
Now we are getting into the thick of it. In giant, soft dunes, Vatanen and Orioli, the reigning champions, turn in the best times.
Peugeot earns its first triple in this 1990 edition of the Dakar.
· 3rd stage: Ghat – Sabha (687 km, including 446 km of special)
Vatanen wins another scratch, accompanied this time by Gilles Picard in the motorcycle class. Vatanen and Orioli lead in the
overall standings. Moreover, three Peugeots occupy the three top spots in the general rankings while Vatanen already has more
than a 1.5-hour lead over the number four driver, Servia (Range Rover).
· 4th stage: Sabha – Tumu (641 km of special)
A difficult departure after a very wet evening. Peugeot and Yamaha, flush with triples in their respective classes, make no efforts
to hide their ambition: Vatanen, Waldegard and Ambrosino in cars; Neveu, Peterhansel and Picard on bikes. Although Vatanen
is crowing at the top of the overall standings, it is nevertheless De Pétri on his Cagiva who is leading the dance of the twowheelers.
· 5th stage: Tumu – Dirkou (504 km of special)
De Pétri and Orioli on their Cagiva get their revenge on Yamaha. For once, Vatanen lets the scratch slip away from him.
Waldegard seizes the opportunity, but still sits at the top of the Dakar's general rankings. Noteworthy: the disqualification of
Jean-Louis Schlesser, who was clearly aware that by replacing his entire engine block he would be disqualified (this move is
strictly forbidden by the official rules).
· 6th stage: Dirkou – N’Gourti (497 km of special)
Peterhansel is the man of the hour. He prevails in the scratch for the first part of the marathon stage and also takes the overall
lead. Success is sweet for the French driver because at the same moment, his wife gives birth to his son, young Nicolas.
· 7th stage: N’Gourti– N’Djamena (647 km, including 499 of special)
Continuation and conclusion of the marathon day, but a poor day for Yamaha: Neveu falls, Picard misses his departure time and
Peterhansel runs out of gas and slips into third place overall. However, Cagiva takes win, place, show with the victory of Orioli in
N’Djamena. The Italian pilot also manages to move into the top slot overall ahead of Spain's Mas. Vatanen secures another
scratch and continues to sail along in the top spot.
· 8th stage: N’Djamena – N’Guigmi (483 km, including 425 km of special)
Vatanen extends his lead. Stéphane Peterhansel does the same as he engages in a fierce battle with Orioli. But the Italian
clings stubbornly to his lead position.
· 9th stage: N’Guigmi – Agadez (780 km of special)
Shinozuka and Magne take the scratch and puch Vatanen back by more than 30 minutes. Orioli also emerges as the big winner
in the Ténéré. He takes advantage of Peterhansel's disqualification, Neveu's mechanical troubles and Lalay's fall.
· 10th stage: Agadez – Niamey (483 km, including 198 km special)
De Pétri proves to be the fastest on his bike, while the Waldegard-Fenouil duo dominates the other cars.
· 11th stage: Agadez – Niamey (431 km, including 222 km special)
Spaniard Mas and Finn Vatanen arrive victorious in Niamey. The overall standings remain unchanged.
· 12th stage: Niamey – Gao (638 km, including 492 km of special)
A navigation stage during which Shinozuka triumphs, pocketing his second scratch. A close call for Vatanen who was not able
to avoid a tree blocking the path and lost more than 40 minutes. The Cagivas secure the first two positions thanks again to
Arcarons and De pétri.
· 13th stage: Gao – Timbuktu (412 km of special)
On sinuous terrain and a very technical piste, Picard and Wambergue are the swiftest ahead of Auriol and Ickx.
· 14th stage: Timbuktu – Nema (674 km of special)
Waldegard kicks into gear. He takes his second scratch. De Pétri is best on his Cagiva. Orioli maintains the lead in the general
rankings.
· 15th stage: Nema – Tidjikja (738 km, including 458 km of special)
The Néga pass is fatal for the Range driven by Pescarolo-Fourticq, which will not make it to Dakar. Ickx demonstrated the
excellent performance ability of his Lada. In the motorcycle class, Mandelli on a Gilera got the better of the sand.
· 16th stage: Tidjikja – Kayes (685 km, including 485 km of special)
Rahier and Cowan win the last real special. Hubert Auriol must withdraw as his engine is no longer responding.
· 17th and 18th stages: Kayes – Saint-Louis – Dakar
On the 40 km of the last special of this rally, between M’Boro and Lake Retba, Wambergue and Picco finished in a maelstrom.
In the overall standings, Italian Edi Orioli records a second victory in the Dakar. However, it is a first for Cagiva, which pockets
its first title. A third triumph for Finland's Ari Vatanen and a hat trick for Peugeot, which retires from the Dakar at the top of its
game. The marathon class is won by Maluda (Honda) among motorcycles and by Gaviot-Bondenet for the cars (Toyota).
12th PARIS - TRIPOLI - DAKAR
· Start: 25 December 1989 from Paris
· Finish: 16 January 1990 in Dakar (Rose Lake)
· Rest: No rest day
· Length of rally: 11,420 km
· Number of kilometers of specials: 8,564 km
· Countries crossed: France, Libya, Niger, Chad, Mali,
Mauritania, Senegal
NUMBER OF COMPETITORS: 465
- At the start : 236 cars
136 motorcycles
93 trucks
- At the finish : 133 véhicles
including 64 cars
46 motorcycles
23 trucks