2005 Dakar Rally also known as the 2005 Paris-Dakar Rally was the 27th running of the Dakar Rally event. The 2005 event was long, began in Barcelona on 31 December 2004 and passed through Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Mali before ending at Dakar in Senegal on 16 January 2005. The course was shorter than in 2004 but was more challenging. A record number of competitors, 696 cars, motorbikes and trucks (including assistance vehicles) in total, entered the rally.
This year introduced a regulation for motorcycles that allowed open class single cylinder motorcycles of any capacity but limited twin cylinder motorcycles to 450cc.
Robby Gordon and Colin McRae swapped the lead in the early stages of the rally, until McRae suffered a crash during the sixth stage between Smara and Zouerat and retired from the event. Stephane Peterhansel took the lead after winning the seventh stage. The eighth stage between Tichit and Tidjikja across the Mauritanian desert was cancelled due to stormy weather. Luc Alphand won the ninth stage although Peterhansel retained the overall lead. Peterhansel won the tenth stage around the town of Atar in Mauritania, and retained his lead after the twelfth stage. The motorcycle stage was cancelled as a mark of respect for Fabrizio Meoni, twice winner of the motorcycle category, who died following an accident on the 11th stage. Peterhansel also won the thirteenth stage from Bamako to Kayes in Mali. The 14th stage was won by Ari Vatanen, the 51st of his career, the 15th was won by Giniel de Villiers, and the final stage by Bruno Saby. The overall title was won by Stephane Peterhansel for the second successive year. The motorcycle category was won by Cyril Despres.
Entries
+ Number of participantsStageBikesCarsTrucksTotalStart of Rally 230 164 69 463End of Rally 10475 36 215
Bikes + Leading EntriesManufacturerTeamNo.Rider KTM23495671416De Gavardo8172122KTM Team Australia232526 Yamaha12
Note: Number one was not issued as a mark of respect Richard Sainct, who was killed during the Rally of the Pharaohs in Egypt in September 2004. The reigning champion in the category, Nani Roma, switched to the car category for this year.
Cars + Leading EntriesManufacturerTeamNo.DriverCo-Driver300301302305 Mitsubishi306309312316320307310313317308311314Nissan Dessoude315319322 BMWX-Raid318325
Trucks
+ Leading EntriesManufacturerTeamNo.DriverCo-Drivers Hino500501503 Kamaz515520525 DAF516 521 526 Iveco517522 Tatra518519555
Stages
Stage Date From To Total(km)Stage winnersBikesCarsTrucks1 31 December Barcelona 50 D. Frétigné R. Gordon H. Bekx2 1 January Barcelona Granada 920Liaison only3 2 January Granada Rabat 573 D. Frétigné C. McRae H. Bekx4 3 January Rabat Agadir 666Stage cancelled R. Gordon V. Chagin5 4 January Agadir / Smara 654 A. Caldecott C. McRae V. Chagin6 5 January / Smara Zouérat 622 F. Meoni S. Peterhansel V. Chagin7 6 January Zouérat Tichit 669 D. Frétigné S. Peterhansel F. Kabirov8 7 January Tichit Tidjikja Stage cancelled9 8 January Tidjikja Atar399 I. Esteve L. Alphand V. Chagin 9 January Atar Rest day10 10 January Atar 499 C. Despres S. Peterhansel F. Kabirov11 11 January Atar Kiffa 695 M. Coma J. Kleinschmidt H. Bekx12 12 January Kiffa Bamako 819 Stage cancelled G. de Villiers G. de Rooy13 13 January Bamako Kayes 668 A. Caldecott S. Peterhansel G. de Rooy14 14 January Kayes Tambacounda 630 J. de Azevedo B. Saby G. de Rooy15 15 January Tambacounda Dakar 569 C. Despres G. de Villiers V. Chagin16 16 January Dakar 68 K. Walch B. Saby V. Chagin
Notes: — Stage cancelled for bikes only due to adverse weather conditions. — Stage cancelled for all classes due to poor visibility. — Stage cancelled for bikes only as tribute for Fabrizio Meoni, who died during the previous stage. — Stage winner Ari Vatanen penalised for excess speed.
Stage results
Motorcycles Stage result General classification Stage PosCompetitorMakeTimeGap PosCompetitorMakeTimeGap11 David FrétignéYamaha4:111 David FrétignéYamaha4:112 Cyril DespresKTM4:190:082 Cyril DespresKTM4:190:083 Eric Verhoef KTM4:240:133 Eric VerhoefKTM4:240:132Liaison only31 David FrétignéYamaha7:571 David FrétignéYamaha12:082 Alfie CoxKTM7:590:022 Cyril DespresKTM12:190:113 Cyril Despres KTM8:000:033 Kellon WalchKTM12:550:474Stage cancelled due to adverse weather conditions51 Andy CaldecottKTM4:00:091 Marc ComaKTM4:13:132 Marc ComaKTM4:00:120:032 Andy CaldecottKTM4:13:570:433 Cyril Despres KTM4:03:393:303 Cyril DespresKTM4:15:582:4561 Fabrizio MeoniKTM4:37:141 Cyril DespresKTM8:56:492 Pål Anders UllevålseterKTM4:38:521:382 Marc ComaKTM8:57:240:353 Alfie Cox KTM4:40:122:583 Fabrizio MeoniKTM8:58:051:1671 David FrétignéYamaha9:16:261 Marc ComaKTM18:18:212 Marc ComaKTM9:20:574:312 Cyril DespresKTM18:18:370:163 Cyril Despres KTM9:21:485:223 Andy CaldecottKTM18:24:015:408Stage cancelled due to poor visibility91 Isidre EsteveKTM5:14:101 Fabrizio MeoniKTM23:41:322 Fabrizio MeoniKTM5:15:391:292 Cyril DespresKTM23:44:272:553 Pål Anders UllevålseterKTM5:18:194:093 Marc ComaKTM23:46:234:51101 Cyril DespresKTM5:28:261 Cyril DespresKTM29:12:532 Fabrizio MeoniKTM5:38:3410:082 Fabrizio MeoniKTM29:20:067:133 Isidre Esteve KTM5:40:5012:243 Marc ComaKTM29:28:5516:02111 Marc ComaKTM5:58:591 Cyril DespresKTM35:13:042 Cyril DespresKTM6:00:111:122 Marc ComaKTM35:27:5414:503 Isidre Esteve KTM6:02:563:573 Isidre Esteve KTM35:35:2722:2312Stage cancelled due to death of Fabrizio Meoni131 Andy CaldecottKTM3:51:411 Cyril DespresKTM39:13:032 David FrétignéYamaha3:53:472:062 Marc ComaKTM39:29:0916:063 Chris BlaisKTM3:55:133:323 Alfie CoxKTM39:33:4220:39141 Jean de AzevedoKTM5:10:561 Cyril DespresKTM44:39:592 Chris BlaisKTM5:11:190:232 Marc ComaKTM44:43:153:163 Alfie CoxKTM5:11:300:343 Alfie CoxKTM44:45:125:13151 Cyril DespresKTM2:27:371 Cyril DespresKTM47:07:362 Alain DuclosKTM2:29:011:242 Marc ComaKTM47:17:219:453 Andy CaldecottKTM2:29:311:543 Alfie CoxKTM47:19:4512:09161 Kellon WalchKTM17:171 Cyril DespresKTM47:27:312 Isidre Esteve KTM18:090:522 Marc ComaKTM47:26:389:173 Eric VerhoefKTM18:120:553 Alfie CoxKTM47:39:0011:29
Notes: — Despres' time includes a nine-minute penalty.
Cars Stage result General classification Stage PosCompetitorMakeTimeGap PosCompetitorMakeTimeGap11 Robby Gordon Dirk von ZitzewitzVolkswagen4:201 Robby Gordon Dirk von ZitzewitzVolkswagen4:202 Hiroshi Masuoka Andreas SchulzMitsubishi4:220:022 Hiroshi Masuoka Andreas SchulzMitsubishi4:220:023 Giniel de Villiers Jean-Marie LurquinNissan4:230:033 Giniel de Villiers Jean-Marie LurquinNissan4:230:032Liaison only31 Colin McRae Tina ThörnerNissan7:481 Colin McRae Tina ThörnerNissan12:222 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi7:540:062 Robby Gordon Dirk von ZitzewitzVolkswagen12:230:013 Ari Vatanen Tiziano SivieroNissan7:580:103 Giniel de Villiers Jean-Marie LurquinNissan12:240:0241 Robby Gordon Dirk von ZitzewitzVolkswagen1:14:011 Robby Gordon Dirk von ZitzewitzVolkswagen1:26:242 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi1:14:540:532 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi1:27:230:593 Bruno Saby Michel PérinVolkswagen1:15:091:083 Bruno Saby Michel PérinVolkswagen1:27:381:1451 Colin McRae Tina ThörnerNissan3:37:141 Colin McRae Tina ThörnerNissan5:07:242 Giniel de Villiers Jean-Marie LurquinNissan3:43:296:152 Giniel de Villiers Jean-Marie LurquinNissan5:12:525:283 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen3:44:327:183 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi5:13:256:0161 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi4:00:291 Bruno Saby Michel PérinVolkswagen9:22:312 Hiroshi Masuoka Andreas SchulzMitsubishi4:06:275:582 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi9:23:110:403 Bruno Saby Michel PérinVolkswagen4:07:557:263 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen9:26:273:5671 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi8:21:571 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi17:51:472 Nasser Al-Attiyah Alain GuehennecBMW8:47:3725:402 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi18:13:1921:323 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen8:48:0426:073 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen18:14:3122:448Stage cancelled due to poor visibility91 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi4:52:391 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi22:45:572 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi4:54:101:312 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi23:05:5820:013 Robby Gordon Dirk von ZitzewitzVolkswagen5:10:0817:293 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen23:26:2340:26101 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi5:22:581 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi28:08:552 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi5:24:251:272 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi28:30:2321:283 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen5:53:1730:193 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen29:19:401:10:45111 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen5:29:371 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi33:41:142 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi5:30:411:042 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi34:01:0419:503 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi5:32:192:423 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen34:49:171:08:03121 Giniel de Villiers Jean-Marie LurquinNissan7:20:581 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi41:05:132 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi7:23:593:012 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi41:28:2923:163 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi7:27:256:273 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen42:24:001:18:47131 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi3:30:071 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi44:35:202 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi3:34:244:172 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi45:02:5327:333 Giniel de Villiers Jean-Marie LurquinNissan3:38:067:593 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen46:06:151:30:55141 Bruno Saby Michel PérinVolkswagen4:59:241 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi49:46:232 Giniel de Villiers Jean-Marie LurquinNissan5:01:532:292 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi50:13:0526:413 Ari Vatanen Tiziano SivieroNissan5:02:082:443 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen53:02:403:16:17151 Giniel de Villiers Jean-Marie LurquinNissan2:21:151 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi52:09:302 Bruno Saby Michel PérinVolkswagen2:22:120:572 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi52:36:4327:133 Carlos Sousa Thierry Delli-ZottiNissan2:22:151:003 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen55:32:473:23:17161 Bruno Saby Michel PérinVolkswagen19:001 Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul CottretMitsubishi52:31:392 Thierry Magnaldi Jean-Paul ForthommeHonda19:200:202 Luc Alphand Gilles PicardMitsubishi52:58:5327:143 Ari Vatanen Tiziano SivieroNissan19:570:573 Jutta Kleinschmidt Fabrizia PonsVolkswagen55:53:393:22:00
Notes: — Vatanen's time includes a 12-minute penalty for excess speed during the liaison section of the stage.
Trucks