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Dakar Rally
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Audi is taking on one of the biggest challenges there is in motorsport: the Dakar Rally. When it made its debut at the famous desert rally in January 2022, the Audi RS Q e-tron already caused a sensation with its efficiency and competitiveness. In 2023, Team Audi Sport fielded the three desert prototypes with electric drive and an energy converter for the first time with an innovative fuel.
Recent Press Releases
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Consistent root cause analysis at Audi Sport’s Dakar test
Team Audi Sport has prepared an analytical test for the suspension and tires after the 2023 Dakar Rally. The Audi RS Q e-tron’s record in January included a total of 14 podium results on 15 event days but also various setbacks. While the innovative electric drive concept worked flawlessly, tire failures clearly set back the three driver teams Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist, Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz in the most important competition of the year. In addition to the analysis carried out since January, the team completed its investigation of the causes in May with a test in Saudi Arabia. -
Mattias Ekström wins Race of Champions
Mattias Ekström has once again demonstrated his world class and versatility: In his Swedish homeland, the rally and circuit pro driver won the “Race of Champions”, a traditional competition between the world’s best motorsport drivers, on an icy track. The two-time DTM champion and rallycross world champion had particularly emotional words for his opponent in the final, Mick Schumacher, whom Ekström defeated despite a short burst of smoke in his race car. -
Team Audi Sport with good individual results and setbacks at the Dakar Rally
The effort paid off: Team Audi Sport shaped the 2023 Dakar Rally with innovation and performance right up to the end despite various setbacks. The Audi RS Q e-tron with its electric drive concept scored a total of 14 podium results on 15 event days including the prologue. In addition, the Audi drivers led the rally in Saudi Arabia with the prototype for three days for the first time. However, a series of punctures, the accident-related retirements of Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz and Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger as well as a massive loss of time for Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist prevented a better result than 14th place. -
Team Audi Sport remains motivated for second half of Dakar Rally
For Team Audi Sport, the first half of the 2023 Dakar Rally was an emotionally intense mix: Two stage victories and the Audi RS Q e-tron’s first three days in the lead at the world’s toughest rally were offset by setbacks for all three driver teams. Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist were leading in Saudi Arabia after the prologue, Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz on the two following days. However, different damage on the hard stages threw them far back. Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger were in second place after the fourth special stage but dropped out two days later due to an accident. -
Audi sets sights on podium at Dakar Rally
Revolutionizing the sport in an energy-efficient way and being among the best in the process: Audi has set itself no lesser task for the RS Q e-tron’s second outing in the Dakar Rally. Head of Audi Sport Rolf Michl has set Team Audi Sport a clear goal: After four stage victories were possible at the first attempt in the first appearance last January, the aim from December 31, 2022 to January 15, 2023 is to achieve a podium result in the overall standings for the innovative prototype with its electric drive, energy converter and high-voltage battery. The concept won the Racecar Powertrain of the Year Award in December from a panel of experts from Race Tech magazine. -
Award for the Audi RS Q e-tron
An additional motivational boost for Team Audi Sport shortly before its second outing in the Dakar Rally (December 31, 2022 to January 15, 2023): The innovative Audi RS Q e-tron has won one of the most important prizes that is awarded within the motorsport industry. -
Rolf Michl: “An exciting challenge”
Since September 1, Rolf Michl has been responsible for motorsport at Audi and is Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH. The 44-year-old manager talks about the Dakar Rally, the complementation of the right and left hemispheres of the brain, the emotions that motorsport arouses in him, and his expectations and goals for the desert rally. -
Audi RS Q e-tron saves more than 60 percent carbon dioxide at the 2023 Dakar Rally
Already at its Dakar debut, the Audi RS Q e-tron set standards in efficiency and competitiveness of e-mobility in motorsport in January 2022. Now the next step follows: The three desert prototypes with electric drive and energy converter will be at the start of the next edition of the Dakar Rally from December 31, 2022 to January 15, 2023 for the first time with an innovative fuel. -
Thorough preparation of the Audi drivers for the Dakar Rally
The 2023 Dakar Rally will start in just under eight weeks. Audi continues to rely on its strong line-up of Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist, Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz. The six drivers and co-drivers are looking forward to the desert classic somewhat more relaxed and better prepared than a year ago, but also full of expectation and respect. -
Heat, dust and tire changes: A lot of work for Audi Sport at the Morocco Rally
Learning at a high level: At the Morocco Rally, the new Audi RS Q e-tron completed its competition debut from October 1 to 6. For Audi Sport and the driver pairings Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist, Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz, it was a test under competition conditions. The three rally prototypes already comply with the 2023 regulations for the Dakar Rally and therefore started in Morocco outside the regular classification in the Open class.
Press Kits
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Dakar Rally 2023
In 2022, an electric drive from Audi with a high-voltage battery and energy converter had to prove itself for the first time in the world’s toughest desert rally. The Audi RS Q e-tron won four stages at the Dakar Rally at the first attempt. The second start is scheduled for 2023. In addition to new technology, Audi is also focusing on a significantly reduced environmental footprint through a new fuel blend. -
Dakar test Morocco, September 2022
Audi Sport prepared for the first rally of the new Audi RS Q e-tron E2 at an extensive test in Morocco in September 2022. -
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2022
Audi has once again made history in motorsport with technical innovation: Following its debut with four stage victories at the Dakar Rally in January, the Audi RS Q e-tron now clinched its first overall victory – in just its second outing.
