The Dakar route changes every year but always goes through some of Earth’s deadliest terrain.
Navigating through this terrain is a big challenge.
The race lasts more than two weeks and is divided into one-day sections.
Each evening, officials hand out road books for the next day’s sections.
The book gives only general information, such as the day’s destination, places to pass along the way, some basic directions, and warnings about danger spots.
The driver and his or her team have to figure out how to get to the destination.
Detailed maps and normal GPS systems are not allowed.
The driver concentrates on going as fast as possible.
Meanwhile, a navigator in the passenger seat looks for landmarks, such as hills or unusual rocks, and chooses a route.
Most landmarks are not in the road book, so a navigator has to rely on experience and make good guesses.