Aussie off-road veteran closing in on Dakar Rally dream 

In a month’s time Aussie offroad veteran Glenn Brinkman will realise his Dakar Rally dream alongside his good mate Dale Moscatt as his co-driver in the T3 cars class.

Brinkman and Moscatt will pilot the #326 Zephyr T3 (T3.1: Lightweight Prototype Cross-Country) in Dakar, with he and Moscatt having teaming up this year Motorsport Australia Off Road Championship, finishing second in the SXS Pro class, whilst finishing seventh in the outright standings,

Brinkmann was initially introduced to French team PH-Sport by Moscatt, who will support their efforts in the 2024 Dakar Rally, with Brinkmann having already competed at the 2022 Rally-Raid Rallye du Maroc event with them.

As a veteran of the off-road racing scene for 30 years, going to Saudi Arabia for the January 5-19 event is simply all about the Dakar dream.

It’s one of the remaining events in world motorsport that still conjures up that “just for the experience” notion – a dream that has been shared and realised by the likes of F1 legend Fernando Alonso, to the outer circles of the motorsport world, like Albert II, Prince of Monaco.

Despite suffering a big crash at the Finke Desert Race, Brinkmann and Moscatt finished second in the SXS Pro class in 2023. Image: Dan Thompson

“Dakar is the kind of thing you have to do before you die. Dale Moscatt, my co-driver who has done several Dakar rallies was one of the instigators, so was Bruce Garland who did the Dakar in Africa and South America and encouraged me to go for it,” Brinkmann said. 

“I first competed in rally-raid at the Morocco rally in 2022 with PH-Sport. I was looking for a small outfit with a competitive and reliable car like the Zephyr and it also came down to prices. 

“For me rallying was a hobby but for Dale it’s a full time job. I’m looking forward to the experience. The goal isn’t the result. The Dakar is far more extreme than the other events I did. It’s another level. I do it to enjoy it. You have to enjoy it. I don’t need a big shiny trophy.”

For Moscatt, his first Dakar Rally was in 2016 with Peter Jerie, and then in 2022 with Molly Taylor, who was the first Australian woman to compete at the Dakar Rally.

“My first Dakar was in 2016 when Peter Jerie…I was given a ten weeks notice and it was very difficult but I had a fantastic time despite the challenges,” Moscatt said. 

“It ignited my passion. I’m proud to say that I finished my two Dakar’s. 

Moscatt and Taylor finished in fourteenth in class at the 2022 Dakar Rally. Image: Red Bull

“I’ve known Glenn for a very long time. Funnily he was going out with my step sister. He’s a lovely guy, very easy going. 

“We sat down to strategise a plan for the Dakar. I think he’s ready but in Dakar you have 100 surprises every day. He has a good approach. We’re as prepared as we can on a limited budget. We need to focus on our own race at our own pace.”

Click here to read about the route for the 46th Dakar Rally, the fifth edition in Saudi Arabia.