00:00The marathon stage lasts for two race days and is a stage in which assistance vehicles
00:09and the participation of team or assistance crews are prohibited.
00:15Only competitors racing in that stage will be allowed to work on their vehicles.
00:19However, competitors are allowed to help one another out in the spirit of camaraderie
00:23that typifies the car.
00:26The aim of the marathon stage is to eliminate the difference between the generously resourced
00:30corporate teams and the private or individual competitors, meaning that every vehicle is
00:36in effect equal.
00:39These limitations mean that the name of the game with the marathon stage is preservation.
00:46Competitors will exercise caution when racing to ensure their vehicles survive the two days.
00:52The limitations imposed by the marathon stage also mean that the overnight bivouac is stripped
00:56back and the only people camping out in the desert are the riders, navigators and drivers
01:01competing.
01:04As a result, it's a special moment during the overall Dakar experience, when the amateurs
01:09can share privileged moments with professional riders and drivers, creating a unique mood in
01:14the bivouac and bivouac, unlike the rest of the race.
