The Dakar is back after last year’s cancellation, and although it’s in South America rather than Africa, all the familiar excellent names are back.

Cyril Despres and Marc Coma on KTMs; Stephane Peterhansel, Luc Alphand and Nani Roma in the new Mitsubishi Lancer; Giniel de Villiers in the old Volkswagen Touareg. Carlos Sainz is in another Volkswagen once more, and is favourite with the bookies, despite Peterhansel having won the rally a ludicrous number of times.

Another name from the WRC appears in the form of the McRae Enduro, a T1.2 car below the T1 manufacturer prototypes but above the T2 production class. Dutchman Chris Leyds is heading the McRae Enduro programme, his entry being co-driven by Alister McRae; former Formula 1 driver Eliseo Salazar is at the wheel of another.

Other familiar names include another Formula 1 character, Ukyo Katayama, in a Toyota Land Cruiser; WTCC champion Yvan Muller on his tod in a Buggy SMG; and WTCC driver Tom Coronel co-driving his twin brother Tim in a Bowler Nemesis. American Robby Gordon is back in a Hummer, which will once again look brilliantly ridiculous pounding the stages.

Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah is a name less familiar to me, but as FIA Cross Country World Cup and Cross Country Baja champion, he might just be one to watch in his BMW.