The Paris Dakar Rally is the most famous and demanding motorsport competition. It was held for the first time in 1978 when the French adventurer Thierry Sabine organized a race from the French capital to the Senegalese capital. Since then, the rally has become a legend that attracts hundreds of drivers and teams from all over the world.

The Paris Dakar Rally is special in that it is not limited to one vehicle category. Motorcycles, cars, trucks, and special prototypes can appear at the start. Racers must overcome thousands of kilometers of challenging terrain such as deserts, mountains, swamps, or salt flats. The rally is a test of endurance, strategy, and navigation.

One of the most interesting places the competition passed through is Lac Retba, also known as Pink Lake, in Senegal. The Paris Dakar Rally passed by Lac Retba for the first time in 1979. Since then, the lake has become one of the iconic stops of the rally, which has returned several times. The last time competitors encountered pink water was in 2007 when the lake was part of the rally's final stage.

The Paris Dakar Rally has a rich history full of successes, dramas, and tragedies. The most famous winners include, for example, Cyril Neveu, Hubert Auriol, Ari Vatanen, Stéphane Peterhansel, Carlos Sainz, and Nasser Al-Attiyah. On the other hand, it also claimed many lives, including founder Thierry Sabine, who died in a helicopter crash in 1986.

The Paris Dakar Rally is still alive and brings new challenges and surprises every year. From 2009 to 2019, the rally moved from Africa to South America, and from 2020 it takes place in Saudi Arabia. But the Paris Dakar Rally continues to be a symbol of adventure, courage, and sportsmanship.