Tribute to the Dakar: Reviving the Legacy of the Porsche 959

It all started when last year’s Classic category winner, Juan Morera, decided he wanted to pay homage to the German brand’s history on the most famous of raids by bringing a 959 to the event, and called Athimon, Porsche specialist in Nantes. “I remember having dinner with Jacky Ickx and his wife at the bivouac last year and we talked about his commitments in the 959,” explains the Basque pilot. “A week after the end of the Dakar, I sent him a message telling him that I was going to do the next edition of the Dakar Classic with a 959.”

After the announcement of René Metge’s death, the organizers paid tribute to him by placing one of the Porsches at the foot of the podium.

As a sign of fate, another participant had the exact same idea, and was able to join forces with Morera and Athimon to ensure that two replicas could be built in time for the 2024 Dakar. With the sad passing of René Metge a few days before the start of the 46th edition, whose name is closely linked to that of the Porsche, Athimon’s 959 accidentally became the perfect tribute to the “Malakoff cowboy”. “I first told Juan that it would take two years to build a first car, but he insisted,” says Athimon. “We experienced the emotions of the time when we built it, finishing the day before and leaving without having tested it! My greatest pride is to say that I am the first to bring a 959 back to the Dakar. But I hope that we will not repeat the triple abandonment of 1985!”

After the announcement of Metge’s death, for the general briefing before the Dakar prologue, the organizers parked one of the 959s at the foot of the podium. Heart touching !

2024-01-09 09:48:10
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