2010 Dakar Rally

While Miller enjoyed a podium finish in 2009, Spaniard Sainz and Qatari Al-Attiyah were looking to clean the skeletons out of their closets. Sainz, the former WRC champion nicknamed "El Matador," was leading the Dakar Rally in 2009 before doing irreparable damage to his Touareg when he plunged into a ravine on Stage 12. Al-Attiyah, previously behind the wheel of a BMW, missed a staggering nine checkpoints in 2009 before being disqualified. Navigation is key in the Dakar Rally, and the co-drivers are certainly not just along for the ride. On the contrary, they have to guide and direct the drivers with split-second instructions-without the aid of pre-running the course or relying on GPS.

Both Sainz and Al-Attiyah had learned from their mistakes, and despite pushing each other to run at a blistering pace, neither faltered in 2010. Sainz took the overall win and Al-Attiyah placed Second, a mere two minutes behind in a race that spanned over 47 hours. With Miller in Third place, Volkswagen made history with three diesel Touaregs sweeping the podium.

While Argentina and Chile have been good to Volkswagen, there are rumors afoot that the Dakar Rally will return to its traditional home in north Africa in 2011. It remains to be seen if Volkswagen will be able to continue their domination if the race returns to its birthplace or, like prehistoric Pangaea, their success will be relegated to the history books. At least until next year's event, Volkswagen and Carlos Sainz can rest assured knowing that they are the very best in the world.

How Does It Compare to Baja? Comparisons between Baja and Dakar are inevitable, but what do the two races have in common and how do they differ? This quick primer highlights the major differences between the two races.