Chinese Dakar rally riders - in the Dakar rally!

There was a lot of focus on the Chinese rally participants once announced that Chery and Great Wall Hover (both national car manufacturers) would enter the 2010 Dakar rally.

And The Dakar organization did their best in welcoming Chinese audience and market by expanding the official website with a Chinese version. Considering that the first time ever a Chinese participant started in the rally 2003, one can only imagine the potential in this market. And the cost to have it translated has already been worthwhile, or till next Chinese entrant in the 2011 Dakar rally signs up.

So, how are the Chinese riders holding up in the rally, so far?

Out of seven vehicles starting in the 2010 Dakar rally, all of them were yesterday still in the competition, and completing the fifth stage.

Zhou Yong who is driving his "made in China" Great Wall Hover, ended up on a 37rd position after finishing yesterdays stage. This is his third time in the Dakar.

And Lu Ningjun, on an oveall 38th placing after stage 5, is taking part in his 6th Dakar Rally, and second time in South America. He was the first Chinese driver to ever start in the Dakar rally in 2003. 

Motorcycle 
151 SU WENMIN '       CHINE 'JINCHENG 
152 WEI GUANGHUI  CHINE 'JINCHENG 

Overall standings
Stage       1      2     3     4    5

No 151   128  123  110  113  98 
No 152   124  126  103  100  92 

Cars 

382 LU 'NINGJUN  co-driver DI PERSIO 'ROBERTO - CHERY 

383 JIANG 'YAOHUAN co-driver BARTHOLOME 'MARC - CHERY
389 ZHOU 'YONG 'PONCET co-driver SYLVAIN - GREAT WALL HOVER 
437 ZHAO 'YONGGUO 'HAN 'YUE 'CHINE  TOYOTA 
438 ZHU 'JINZHONG co-driver HE 'XUDONG -TOYOTA 

Car category overall standings
Stage       1      2      3      4     5

No 382    55    52     58    41   38 
No 383    70    51     59    43   40 
No 389  120   104    52    42   37 
No 437  116   100    70     --   67 
No 438  114   103    76    54   55 

Chinese withdrawals
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Chinese media(in English)

CCTV.com - all Chinese vehicles to reach the finish stage 1
CCTV.com - the motorcycklists entering the Dakar rally

Related:
Chinese dream teams to enter the Dakar rally?