November 19, 2014: Dakar Rally organizers held a press conference for Dakar Rally 2015 in Paris, the capital of the race's home country of France, where previously unreleased information was announced, including race distances for each stage and the roster of approved entries. Then during the following weekend of November 22 and 23, the racing cars, bikes, trucks and assistance vehicles came together in the French port city of Le Havre to undergo vehicle inspections.

A more speed-oriented, sprint race

With the racers to compete over a total distance of 8,159 kilometers, the overall racing distance for the Trucks category in the upcoming Dakar Rally is about 1,000 kilometers shorter than the previous year. This will be the second-shortest course since the rally was relocated to the South American continent in 2009.

In longer races, drivers tend to drive more cautiously to reduce strain on their vehicles and maintain durability to the goal line. Races over shorter distances, such as the upcoming race, conversely result in less accumulated vehicle strain, typically leading to a more speed-oriented, sprint race. Furthermore, any time lost will be more difficult to make up as subsequent race stages will be shorter, meaning this upcoming race is again expected to be a tough one.

In an additional twist, the organizers have stated that the Trucks category will be the only one to not cross into Bolivia in stage 7 on January 10, instead racing a marathon stage* in Chile. The roster of announced entries totaled 416 vehicles (compared to 438 the previous year), with 64 entries in the Trucks category (71 the previous year). The distances for each stage and entries for each category are listed below.

* Marathon stage: This refers to two stages raced back-to-back, where racing vehicles are not allowed to receive support from their assistance vehicles, team mechanics or staff members at the camp site between stages. Drivers and navigators must service their own vehicles using only the parts and tools they have on-hand.

Racing distance for each stage (km)

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Entries in each category (Previous year's entry numbers in brackets)

European entries gather in France!

Many of the teams that enter the Dakar Rally operate out of Europe. As the rally draws near, these teams are called to the French port city of Le Havre, where a total of 645 vehicles―including racing cars, bikes, trucks and assistance vehicles that have passed vehicle inspections, as well as official cars, trucks and buses for use by the organizer and media crews―were loaded onto a chartered automobile carrier ship.

Since Hino Team Sugawara's assistance cars and truck were stored in a garage in France, the team's two Hilux vehicles and its HINO700 Series ZS truck were also called in for vehicle inspections―which they successfully passed―and were loaded onto the chartered ship.

The ship is scheduled to arrive in Argentina's capital of Buenos Aires in late December. The vehicles will be handed over to their respective teams on December 31, 2014 - New Year's Eve.