The infamous Paris Dakar Rally is the most dangerous race in the world. It's also one of the most exciting and exotic.

The last rally ran from the 31st of December 2005 till the 15th of January 2006. There were over 500 teams participating across 7,000 rugged miles through seven different countries. Only 40% made it to the finish.

The Paris Dakar was invented by a Frenchman, Thierry Sabine. The first one took place back in 1979. Traditionally, it ran from
Paris (France) to Dakar (Senegal). Nowadays it changes route every year due to political disturbances and in some cases all out war! It?s extreme in every sense of the word.

Good navigation skills are absolutely crucial. They're what will make the difference between victory and defeat and in some cases, life and death.

This year the organizers have imposed a speed limit of 95 mph for motorcyclists and 30mph for all drivers when passing through villages.

Morocco is synonymous with the Paris Dakar Rally. This is where it all really begins, at the gateway to Africa, where the drivers come across their first real challenge - a terrain like nowhere else on earth.

Once they leave the comfort of Europe, things change..
Drivers and riders must immediately become unrelentlessly vigilant and aware.

So far, Morocco has been host to 10 crossings of the Paris Dakar (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005),

Traditional Moroccan stage towns include: Tangier, Er Rachidia, Rabat and Ouarzazate.

The Paris Dakar is an incredibly popular race that draws participants from all over the globe. The organizers normally have to stop accepting applications around six months before the start of the race.