Published on: 16/01/2024 Updated on: 20/02/2025

At the Dakar Classic 2024 alongside the BEFUEL Bombelli Team

At the Dakar Classic 2024 Mafra is competing with off-road vehicles prepared by Bombelli Off-Road, a Lombardy-based 4×4 specialist. Off-roads produced between 1979 and 1999 will also compete on the tracks and dunes of Saudi Arabia, in the spirit of the historic African race.

There are few automobile competitions in the world that have the appeal of the Dakar, a rallyraid that requires crews to have speed and skill in navigating the desert. Originating in 1979 as the Paris-Dakar in the footsteps of many enthusiasts who ventured into the Sahara, it was held in South America from 2009 to 2019. A fascination that lives again in the Dakar Classic 2024.

Since 2020, the race has been organized in Saudi Arabia, a country that offers vast uninhabited desert expanses and entire regions of sand dunes.

Cars, motorcycles, trucks, quads and other types of vehicles compete in a race that tests the endurance of vehicles and crews. Among cars, the competition has become increasingly sophisticated with the official participation of manufacturers such as Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Mini, Toyota, and Audi.

The Dakar Classic 2024

To keep the spirit of the origins alive and allow more fans to participate in this adventure in 2021, the Dakar Classic. The first edition was attended by 23 cars from the 1980s and 1990s, while today more than a hundred competitors are admitted.

Vehicles with a minimum of two and a maximum of eight wheels can participate in the Dakar Classic 2024, divided into three classes based on age. Category A is for pre-1986 vehicles, B for those from 1986-1996, and C for those from 1997-1999.

Thus, all kinds of cars are seen in the race: classic off-roaders, such as Toyota HDJ 80 and Land Cruiser, Mitsubishi Pajero, Nissan Patrol, Lada Niva. There is no shortage, however, of heroic crews trying their hand at special historic models, such as Renault 4, Skoda 130, Peugeot 504 Coupe, and prestigious Porsche 959. Some prefer instead mighty vintage trucks from manufacturers such as Man, Mercedes, Daf, Iveco.

The Dakar Classic 2024 will be held from January 5 to 19, at the same time as the main race, on a partly different route.

The race involves regularity trials. Competitors must also overcome navigational difficulties and face long stretches of high sand dunes. In the evening, teams share a bivouac with all the other crews participating in the Speed Dakar.

This, combined with the difficulty of the route and the immensity of the Saudi desert, gives the Dakar Classic 2024 a special appeal.

Mafra at Dakar Classic 2024 with Befuel Bombelli Team

Mafra shares passion for this adventure by participating in the Dakar Classic 2024 alongside the Mitsubishi Pajero Befuel, prepared by the Bombelli Team and registered under number 746. Befuel is the preparation, processing and customization atelier of Faith Perlam, content creator, influencer and Mafra Brand Ambassador.

The Pajero is wrapped by WrapLab with colors visible even from satellites: neon yellow and pink, which are the dominant hues of Befuel's brand identity. Thanks to Mafra products, the beautiful livery is kept in perfect condition at all times.

A Pajero for the desert

The Mitsubishi Pajero is one of the most legendary cars in the Dakar, of which it has won 12 editions, seven of them consecutive. For the Dakar Classic 2024, Bombelli 4×4 entirely disassembled a standard 1997 Pajero 2800 turbodiesel, reinforcing its chassis and body.

Inside, the Fia-approved cage roll cage bar was fitted and superfluous equipment such as the car radio and interior door panels were removed. Instead, racing seats, four-point belts, and lexan windows and rear window were added, equipped with flaps for cabin ventilation. The dashboard has been simplified and supplemented with the necessary racing instrumentation and a safety button for immediate engine shutdown.

A snorkel with filter was added, which is necessary to prevent the engine from sucking water into any fords or sand that could damage the turbine. The suspension has been completely revised and raised to make it suitable for fast off-road driving and soaring over dunes. The tires are Hankook Dynapro MT2: ten tires are needed for the race, two of them in the trunk and four carried on the service truck.

Bullesi and Manzoni, an iron pair for the Dakar Classic 2024

Bringing the Pajero Befuel, which they bought in the summer of 2022, to the Dakar Classic 2024 are Ugo Bullesi and Myriam Manzoni, Milanese motorsport enthusiasts. Ugo has dreamed of participating in the Dakar since he saw it in Africa, and the Classic represents a chance to make his dream come true.

The Pajero, one of his favorite cars, is ideal for achieving the goal of completing the race together with Myriam, his partner also in life. And it was Myriam, with her own passion for adventurous endeavors, who spurred Hugh to compete in the Dakar Classic 2024. Both consider this only the first step in a sporting story that may have future developments, including nurturing greater ranking ambitions.

And it is this passion that Mafra shares, supporting the Befuel Mombelli Team 's Pajero in its venture along the sandy tracks of Saudi Arabia.