The 2011 Dakar Rally was the 33rd running of the event. It was held in Argentina and Chile for the third successive time, and ran from 1 to 16 January. The Amaury Sport Organisation and the governments of Argentina and Chile agreed to a return to South America for the event on 23 March 2010.

The rally concluded in Buenos Aires, with Vladimir Chagin of Russia achieving a record seventh victory in the truck division, at the wheel of his Kamaz, thus becoming the most successful driver in a single category in the history of the event. Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar and Timo Gottschalk of Germany won in the car division, giving Volkswagen their fourth successive victory in the car class. Marc Coma from Spain won his third Dakar in the motorcycle category, and Alejandro Patronelli of Argentina repeated the feat of his brother—Marcos Patronelli in 2010—to win the class for quad-bikes.

Entrants

407 Teams started the race with 200 motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, 140 cars, and 67 trucks on the podium across from the Obelisk, on the 9th of July Avenue; one of Buenos Aires' major boulevards. 203 of the crews finished the event.

The route The race began on New Year's Day in downtown Buenos Aires. The total racing distance was for cars, for bikes and quads and for trucks. Of these distances, was timed special stage for cars, with for bikes and quads and for trucks. Of the thirteen stages, six were in Argentina, five in Chile with two stages cross-country.

Stages StageDateFromToClassRoad SectionSpecialTotalStage Winnerskm mi km mi km miBikesQuadsCarsTrucks11 January2 January Buenos Aires Victoria Victoria CórdobaBikes/Quads943586 C. Despres J. Macháček C. Sainz V. ChaginCars/Trucks23 January Córdoba TucumánBikes/Quads440273 C. Despres A. Patronelli C. Sainz F. KabirovCars/Trucks34 January San Miguel de Tucumán JujuyBikes/Quads231144 M. Coma T. Maffei N. Al-Attiyah V. ChaginCarsTrucks40825445 January San Salvador de Jujuy CalamaAll M. Coma T. Maffei C. Sainz V. Chagin56 January Calama IquiqueAll P. Gonçalves A. Patronelli S. Peterhansel F. Kabirov67 January Iquique AricaAll H. Rodrigues A. Patronelli C. Sainz A. Loprais – 8 January AricaRest day79 January Arica AntofagastaBikes/Quads208129 F. López S. Halpern N. Al-Attiyah A. LopraisCars/Trucks810 January Antofagasta CopiapóAll M. Coma A. Patronelli N. Al-Attiyah V. Chagin911 January Copiapó CopiapóAll J. Street A. Patronelli C. Sainz F. Kabirov1012 January Copiapó ChilecitoAll M. Coma J. Santamarina G. de Villiers V. Chagin1113 January Chilecito San JuanAll C. Despres S. Halpern N. Al-Attiyah V. Chagin1214 January San Juan CórdobaBikes/Quads12376555345678421 M. Coma C. Declerck C. Sainz V. ChaginCarsTrucks3492171315 January Córdoba Buenos AiresAll F. Verhoeven Ł. Łaskawiec C. Sainz F. Kabirov – 16 JanuaryFinish in Buenos Aires TOTALS km mi km mi km mi Bikes & Quads4,5982,857 Cars Trucks

Stage results

Motorcycles KTM's Cyril Despres won the first two stages of the rally, to take an early lead of over two minutes on fellow KTM rider Marc Coma. Coma closed the gap to just fourteen seconds after his win on the third stage, and took the overall lead on stage four with his second stage win as Despres lost over ten minutes on the stage, dropping him to second in the standings. Coma maintained his lead overall until the end of the race, taking further stage wins in stages eight, ten and twelve en route to his third victory in the event. Despres, a three-time winner himself, won stage eleven but ended the rally fifteen minutes behind Coma in second place. Aprilia's Francisco López moved into third position after the fourth stage, and having won the seventh stage, had been set to complete the podium behind Coma and Despres. However, on the final stage, López suffered a mechanical failure from the finish line and lost over an hour to his rivals. His misfortune allowed Hélder Rodrigues, riding a Yamaha to take third place. López took fourth position, almost half an hour behind Rodrigues. Stage result General classification Stage PosCompetitorMakeTimeDifference PosCompetitorMakeTimeDifference 11 KTM 1h 58' 31" + 00' 00"1 KTM 1h 58' 31" + 00' 00"2 KTM 1h 59' 02" + 00' 31"2 KTM 1h 59' 02" + 00' 31"3 KTM 1h 59' 17" + 00' 46"3 KTM 1h 59' 17" + 00' 46" 21 KTM 3h 19' 11" + 00' 00"1 KTM 5h 17' 42" + 00' 00"2 KTM 3h 21' 00" + 01' 49"2 KTM 5h 20' 17" + 02' 35"3 Aprilia 3h 23' 17" + 04' 06"3 KTM 5h 23' 55" + 06' 13" 31 KTM 4h 18' 55" + 00' 00"1 KTM 9h 38' 58" + 00' 00"2 KTM 4h 21' 16" + 02' 21"2 KTM 9h 39' 12" + 00' 14"3 BMW 4h 22' 31" + 03' 36"3 KTM 9h 48' 36" + 09' 38" 41 KTM 2h 04' 00" + 00' 00"1 KTM 11h 43' 12" + 00' 00"2 Aprilia 2h 06' 05" + 02' 05"2 KTM 11h 53' 14" + 10' 02"3 Yamaha 2h 10' 20" + 06' 20"3 Aprilia 12h 03' 24" + 20' 12" 51 BMW 5h 12' 23" + 00' 00"1 KTM 16h 59' 33" + 00' 00"2 Aprilia 5h 14' 41" + 02' 18"2 KTM 17h 09' 47" + 10' 14"3 BMW 5h 14' 42" + 02' 19"3 Aprilia 17h 18' 05" + 18' 32" 61 Yamaha 5h 36' 17" + 00' 00"1 KTM 22h 40' 20" + 00' 00"2 KTM 5h 39' 21" + 03' 04"2 KTM 22h 49' 08" + 08' 48"3 KTM 5h 40' 47" + 04' 30"3 Aprilia 23h 02' 32" + 22' 12" 71 Aprilia 3h 29' 45" + 00' 00"1 KTM 26h 13' 50" + 00' 00"2 KTM 3h 32' 06" + 02' 21"2 KTM 26h 21' 14" + 07' 24"3 KTM 3h 33' 30" + 03' 45"3 Aprilia 26h 32' 17" + 18' 27" 81 KTM 6h 05' 02" + 00' 00"1 KTM 32h 18' 52" + 00' 00"2 KTM 6h 06' 57" + 01' 55"2 KTM 32h 28' 11" + 09' 19"3 Aprilia 6h 09' 23" + 04' 21"3 Aprilia 32h 41' 40" + 22' 48" 91 Yamaha 3h 06' 56" + 00' 00"1 KTM 35h 32' 56" + 00' 00"2 BMW 3h 10' 34" + 03' 38"2 KTM 35h 41' 10" + 08' 14"3 Sherco 3h 10' 36" + 03' 40"3 Aprilia 35h 56' 29" + 23' 33" 101 KTM 3h 06' 35" + 00' 00"1 KTM 38h 39' 31" + 00' 00"2 KTM 3h 16' 31" + 09' 56"2 KTM 38h 57' 41" + 18' 10"3 KTM 3h 19' 57" + 13' 22"3 Aprilia 39h 24' 47" + 45' 16" 111 KTM 4h 33' 13" + 00' 00"1 KTM 43h 14' 55" + 00' 00"2 KTM 4h 35' 24" + 02' 11"2 KTM 43h 30' 54" + 15' 59"3 Aprilia 4h 39' 32" + 06' 19"3 Aprilia 44h 04' 19" + 49' 24" 121 KTM 6h 42' 42" + 00' 00"1 KTM 49h 57' 37" + 00' 00"2 KTM 6h 43' 19" + 00' 37"2 KTM 50h 14' 13" + 16' 36"3 Yamaha 6h 50' 03" + 07' 21"3 Aprilia 50h 57' 04" + 59' 27" 131 BMW 1h 25' 07" + 00' 00"1 KTM 51h 25' 00" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 1h 25' 12" + 00' 05"2 KTM 51h 40' 04" + 15' 04"3 KTM 1h 25' 26" + 00' 19"3 Yamaha 53h 05' 20" + 1h 40' 20"

Quads Stage result General classification Stage PosCompetitorMakeTimeDifference PosCompetitorMakeTimeDifference 11 Yamaha 2h 14' 07" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 2h 14' 07" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 2h 15' 13" + 01' 06"2 Yamaha 2h 15' 13" + 01' 06"3 Yamaha 2h 17' 11" + 03' 04"3 Yamaha 2h 17' 11" + 03' 04" 21 Yamaha 3h 40' 35" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 6h 00' 06" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 3h 44' 56" + 04' 21"2 Yamaha 6h 02' 50" + 02' 44"3 Yamaha 3h 45' 39" + 05' 04"3 Yamaha 6h 02' 51" + 02' 45" 31 Yamaha 4h 58' 04" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 11h 02' 21" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 4h 59' 31" + 01' 27"2 Yamaha 11h 02' 33" + 00' 12"3 Yamaha 5h 02' 27" + 04' 23"3 Yamaha 11h 03' 33" + 01' 12" 41 Yamaha 2h 30' 23" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 13h 33' 56" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 2h 33' 17" + 02' 54"2 Yamaha 13h 35' 50" + 01' 54"3 Yamaha 2h 34' 46" + 04' 23"3 Yamaha 13h 37' 07" + 03' 11" 51 Yamaha 6h 04' 34" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 19h 40' 24" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 6h 07' 55" + 03' 21"2 Yamaha 19h 41' 51" + 01' 27"3 Yamaha 6h 40' 36" + 36' 02"3 Yamaha 20h 23' 19" + 42' 55" 61 Yamaha 6h 57' 33" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 26h 37' 57" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 7h 02' 37" + 05' 04"2 Yamaha 26h 44' 28" + 06' 31"3 Yamaha 7h 29' 34" + 32' 01"3 Yamaha 28h 10' 04" + 1h 32' 07" 71 Yamaha 4h 01' 26" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 31h 44' 45" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 4h 03' 36" + 02' 10"2 Yamaha 31h 47' 48" + 03' 03"3 Honda 4h 07' 42" + 06' 16"3 Yamaha 32h 11' 30" + 26' 45" 81 Yamaha 7h 57' 26" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 39h 45' 14" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 8h 05' 28" + 08' 02"2 Yamaha 40h 43' 46" + 58' 32"3 Yamaha 8h 08' 26" + 11' 00"3 Yamaha 42h 27' 02" + 2h 41' 48" 91 Yamaha 3h 43' 27" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 43h 28' 41" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 3h 48' 48" + 05' 21"2 Yamaha 44h 45' 04" + 1h 16' 23"3 Yamaha 3h 53' 42" + 10' 15"3 Yamaha 46h 15' 50" + 2h 47' 09" 101 Honda 4h 14' 49" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 47h 48' 53" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 4h 14' 57" + 00' 08"2 Yamaha 49h 00' 01" + 1h 11' 08"3 Yamaha 4h 17' 52" + 03' 03"3 Yamaha 50h 34' 49" + 2h 45' 56" 111 Yamaha 5h 35' 30" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 53h 28' 59" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 5h 39' 22" + 03' 52"2 Yamaha 54h 35' 31" + 1h 06' 32"3 Yamaha 5h 40' 06" + 04' 36"3 Polaris 59h 58' 59" + 6h 30' 00" 121 Polaris 8h 30' 07" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 62h 07' 34" + 00' 00"2 Yamaha 8h 30' 21" + 00' 14"2 Yamaha 63h 05' 52" + 58' 18"3 Yamaha 8h 32' 39" + 02' 32"3 Polaris 68h 29' 06" + 6h 21' 32" 131 Yamaha 1h 35' 00" + 00' 00"1 Yamaha 63h 49' 47" + 00' 00"2 Polaris 1h 39' 11" + 04' 11"2 Yamaha 64h 49' 40" + 59' 53"3 Yamaha 1h 42' 13" + 07' 13"3 Yamaha 70h 07' 25" + 6h 17' 38"

Cars Stage result General classification Stage PosCompetitorMakeTimeDifference PosCompetitorMakeTimeDifference 11 Volkswagen 2h 18' 32" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 2h 18' 32" + 00' 00"2 BMW 2h 20' 03" + 01' 31"2 BMW 2h 20' 03" + 01' 31"3 Volkswagen 2h 20' 48" + 02' 16"3 Volkswagen 2h 20' 48" + 02' 16" 21 Volkswagen 3h 10' 48" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 5h 29' 20" + 00' 00"2 Volkswagen 3h 12' 31" + 01' 43"2 BMW 5h 33' 05" + 03' 45"3 BMW 3h 13' 02" + 02' 14"3 Volkswagen 5h 33' 19" + 03' 59" 31 Volkswagen 3h 42' 20" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 9h 12' 05" + 00' 00"2 Volkswagen 3h 42' 45" + 00' 25"2 Volkswagen 9h 15' 39" + 03' 34"3 BMW 3h 43' 19" + 00' 59"3 BMW 9h 16' 24" + 04' 19" 41 Volkswagen 1h 57' 09" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 11h 09' 14" + 00' 00"2 Volkswagen 1h 57' 59" + 00' 50"2 Volkswagen 11h 13' 38" + 04' 24"3 BMW 1h 58' 31" + 01' 22"3 BMW 11h 14' 55" + 05' 41" 51 BMW 4h 33' 19" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 15h 45' 48" + 00' 00"2 Volkswagen 4h 34' 43" + 01' 24"2 BMW 15h 48' 14" + 02' 26"3 Volkswagen 4h 36' 34" + 03' 15"3 Volkswagen 15h 48' 21" + 02' 33" 61 Volkswagen 4h 53' 53" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 20h 39' 41" + 00' 00"2 Volkswagen 4h 54' 02" + 00' 09"2 Volkswagen 20h 42' 23" + 02' 42"3 Volkswagen 5h 03' 42" + 09' 49"3 BMW 20h 54' 32" + 14' 51" 71 Volkswagen 2h 40' 57" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 23h 21' 58" + 00' 00"2 Volkswagen 2h 42' 17" + 01' 20"2 Volkswagen 23h 23' 20" + 01' 22"3 Volkswagen 2h 43' 53" + 02' 56"3 BMW 23h 43' 09" + 21' 11" 81 Volkswagen 5h 16' 30" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 28h 39' 50" + 00' 00"2 Volkswagen 5h 23' 06" + 06' 36"2 Volkswagen 28h 45' 04" + 05' 14"3 Volkswagen 5h 33' 52" + 17' 22"3 Volkswagen 29h 28' 35" + 48' 45" 91 Volkswagen 2h 14' 39" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 30h 56' 25" + 00' 00"2 Volkswagen 2h 16' 35" + 01' 56"2 Volkswagen 30h 59' 43" + 03' 18"3 Volkswagen 2h 23' 41" + 09' 02"3 Volkswagen 31h 52' 16" + 55' 51" 101 Volkswagen 2h 53' 15" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 33h 58' 34" + 00' 00"2 BMW 2h 57' 38" + 04' 23"2 Volkswagen 34h 11' 11" + 12' 37"3 BMW 2h 58' 53" + 05' 38"3 Volkswagen 34h 45' 31" + 46' 57" 111 Volkswagen 4h 17' 27" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 38h 16' 01" + 00' 00"2 BMW 4h 18' 40" + 01' 13"2 Volkswagen 39h 07' 50" + 51' 49"3 Volkswagen 4h 22' 19" + 04' 52"3 Volkswagen 39h 43' 28" + 1h 27' 27" 121 Volkswagen 5h 37' 18" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 43h 59' 30" + 00' 00"2 Volkswagen 5h 40' 01" + 02' 43"2 Volkswagen 44h 47' 51" + 48' 21"3 Volkswagen 5h 43' 29" + 06' 11"3 Volkswagen 45h 20' 46" + 1h 21' 16" 131 Volkswagen 1h 16' 08" + 00' 00"1 Volkswagen 45h 16' 16" + 00' 00"2 Volkswagen 1h 16' 46" + 00' 38"2 Volkswagen 46h 05' 57" + 49' 41"3 BMW 1h 17' 33" + 01' 25"3 Volkswagen 46h 36' 54" + 1h 20' 38"

Trucks