Giniel de Villiers

Giniel de Villiers is a South African driver who made his name in circuit racing before becoming one of the leading rally-raid drivers of his generation.

Dakar winner

In 2009 he won the Dakar Rally in the car category, driving for Volkswagen with German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz. It was the first Dakar held in South America.

Long-distance consistency

He went on to many more Dakar starts, including with Toyota, and became known for finishing near the front year after year.

Rally-raid vs circuit racing

Circuit racing happens on a closed track over a set number of laps. Rally-raid is a long-distance off-road event lasting days or weeks. Crews race against the clock across deserts and dunes, navigating with a road book, and must manage the car's reliability as much as its speed.