Desafío Inca: The Pisco Spirit!

Company press release.

On 4, 5 and 6 October this year, Peru will welcome the Dakar Rally drivers, who are busy preparing for the Dakar Rally, for the first Desafío Inca event. The route for this Dakar Series event runs around Pisco, on the sand dunes and tracks that had impressed the Dakar 2012 and 2013 drivers.

Peru, land of rallies

During its last two series, the Dakar Rally discovered areas in Peru that were particularly well suited to off-road rallies. In 2012, as in 2013, the Peruvian leg turned out to be a selective and decisive event, both for the best drivers in the world, and for amateurs who were discovering the sport. Among those who took part, many Peruvians were able to demonstrate the extent of their enthusiasm, beginning with Ignacio Flores, the quad-rider, who won the first stage last January. At the time, this specific feat had been achieved in Pisco, at the centre of the desert area in the Ica Region. This area, which has a particular kind of sandbars and sandy valleys, has been chosen as the setting for the first Desafío Inca series.

A typical Dakar triple event

The 25 vehicles registered under the Forza Inca flag in the Dakar 2013 now form a hard core on the Peruvian off-road circuit. These pioneering ambassadors have become a source of inspiration for their countrymen. In fact, they are preparing to welcome drivers from the rest of Latin America to their region, as well as a few European team leaders, who will come to fine tune their skills ahead of the 2014 event. With over 1,000 km to cover in a special event, the Desafío Inca is both a quality test and a strategic intermediate stage three months before the main meeting.

A title there for the winning

The Desafío Inca is an ideal preparation race with multiple challenges. Budding talents will have an opportunity to stand out in the Dakar Challenge, where the winners will be rewarded by registration for the Dakar 2014. In addition, the Dakar Series label has been awarded to two Latin American events this year. Following the Desafío Ruta 40, which is organised in Argentina in June, competitors who go on to the Desafío Inca will then be entered into aggregate rankings. The final winner will then be declared the 2013 Dakar Series Champion.