On Jan. 16, 2012 of Beijing time, the 34th Dakar Rally was officially completed in Lima, capital of Peru. Sousa and Zhou Yong, the two heroes of Haval Racing Team for Dakar Rally, separately drove two Haval cars and finally ranked 7th and 20th in terms of total score respectively. Ranking seventh is the best record Chinese racing teams have ever achieved in the history of participating in Dakar Rally.

Making a general survey of 2012 Dakar Rally, only 78 cars among 171 cars of auto teams have completed the Rally, accounting for only 45%. The 34th Dakar Rally is also regarded as the most difficult Rally since Dakar Rally began to be held in South America in 2009. The four Chinese racing teams all have completed the Rally, showing that they no longer play the supporting role in the Rally. Among them, Haval racing team has always ranked Top 10, making the proud record of ranking 4th in stages and 7th in total score. After this Rally, Haval racing team demonstrated its position as the leader among Chinese racing teams and Haval SUV once again became internationally famous.

The proud achievements made by Haval in the Rally attracted the attention of car fans and multiple media as well. After the end of the fourth stage, France 2 has been conducting an on-site report on Haval for half an hour. France 2 is a mainstream local media and also the globally famous media. It’s the first time in the history of Dakar Rally for a Chinese racing team was paid close attention by overseas media.

As the Rally went on, Haval racing team gradually staged on the center of the stage from playing a supporting role in Dakar Rally. First, Market Department of the Organizing Committee for Dakar Rally actively asked the racing team for opinions on promoting the Rally and later the owners of Great Wall autos of Chile nationality came to the site for supporting the racing team and sent them flowers and applause when Haval cars passed them.

What moved Haval team members most was that more than 30 owners of Great Wall autos of Chile nationality waving flags and shouting slogans for them at the sides of the tracks. Currently, it’s midsummer in South America. These owners drove several kilometers to the starting point of the eighth stage just for making their own contributions to the success of Haval racing team. The moving action originated from Great Wall Motors’s hard work in Chile’s markets. Since Great Wall Motors’ products came into Chile’s markets in 2006, they have been assessed as firm and safe. In 2011, Great Wall Motors saw a sales volume of approximate 7,000 units, ranking first among autos of Chinese brands in this region. Therefore, many owners of Great Wall autos felt proud to go to the competition site to cheer up the racing team. Haval racing team also reciprocated their moving actions with the achievement of ranking seventh.

Behind the glorious expedition of Haval, many people have made unseen contributions. After the completion of each stage, it’s quite urgent to rapidly complete overhauling the racing cars and technicians would be busy in working for all nights long in the camp of the racing team. On the courses, Zhou Yong has helped Sousa get out of difficulties twice, showing deep friendship between them; Outside the courses, Great Wall Motors, the general backup of the racing team, would timely encourage and cheer up members of the racing team.

When the two Haval racing cars drove out of the car-collecting station of Lima Weapon Square, Haval’s third expedition to Dakar Rally officially came to an end. The three-year expedition to Dakar has won Haval SUV the fame of standing the test of Dakar, and greatly improved Haval’s brand awareness around the world, and winning the recognition and praise of Haval SUV by more consumers.