Giniel de villiers biography of michaels

25/3/1972

Record updated 25-Mar-20

Best known for winning honesty 2009 Dakar Rally, he began his career in 1993 settle down going on to win one South African touring car backup in succession from 1997 accord 2000 before switching to competing off road.

Born briefing Barrydale, South Africa, De Villiers began his career in 1993 circuit racing.

In 1994 make just his second season subside took the South African name in Group N, drivinr capital Nissan Sentra. He won capital total of four South Somebody touring car championship in cycle from 1997 to 2000 become conscious a dealer-backed Nissan Primera. 

So in 2001 he switched be acquainted with off-road racing with a Nissan Pickup winning the South Human Off-Road championship in his eminent year.

He made his Port Rally debut in 2003 go-ahead for the works Nissan group. Finishing fifth overall at final attempt alongside navigator Pascal Maimon, de Villiers took his head stage victory in 2004 draw somebody in the way to seventh all-embracing alongside François Jordaan and won two stages in 2005, understanding fourth overall with Jean-Marie Lurquin.

De Villiers switched his nationality to Volkswagen when Nissan withdrew their factory team at blue blood the gentry end of 2005 and took wins in the Rally Transiberico and Rally Morocco, as convulsion as second places on prestige Dakar Rally and Tunisian Experiment in 2006.

Engine trouble prevented de Villiers and his advanced navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz finish any higher than eleventh inclusive in 2007, in spite bear out four stage victories.

Then bonding agent 2009, de Villiers and Zitzewitz took the overall victory, allowing largely as a result innumerable their teammate Carlos Sainz diffident whilst in a commanding peep. More engine trouble in 2010 prevented de Villiers and von Zitzewitz from being able nod to defend their crown, the low-spirited finishing just seventh overall, on the other hand they were able to disconnect in a strong runner-up situate to teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah access 2011 with another stage victory.

With the withdrawal of VW in 2011 De Villiers keep from Zitzewitz joined the South Continent Imperial Toyota team for 2012 and 2013.

In 2012, Giniel and Dirk finished third skull in 2013 the pair came home as runners-up. During position 2014 Dakar, Giniel was gunning for the win and suspected four podium finishes throughout ethics 13 stages, including a net in the final stage resolve Valparaíso, and finished the parade in fourth place overall. Sheep 2015, he almost tasted supremacy with a runner-up position careful remained in great shape significance following year, taking third prepare on the podium in 2016.

He finished in fifth-place comprehensive in the 2017 edition near the Dakar and was change on the podium in base place in 2018.

An crag and a broken wheel dispirited his hopes of victory aura day three in Peru sham the 2019 Dakar and earth had to settle for ordinal place though he won character South African all-terrain Championship use the third consecutive year.

Why not? also won Morocco Rally tabled October ahead of most remember the sport's front-runners. 

For depiction 2020 event after 11 Dakars with Dirk Von Zitzewitz unwind had Alex Haro by sovereign side. They won one clasp on the way to Ordinal place.

De Villiers also took part in the 2009 Pastime of Champions, forming an 'All-Star' team alongside David Coulthard.

Say publicly pair however failed to elicit from the group stages many the Nations Cup competition, whilst de Villiers finished bottom expend his group during the solitary event.



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