First battle on the battlefield! Jiujiang racing cars all completed Dakar SS1, Chinese vehicles successfully overcome the first challenge.
On January 4th, Saudi Arabia time, the first long stage of the 2026 Dakar Rally concluded. All six JJ3 T1+ race cars from Jiujiang team successfully crossed the finish line in the 518-kilometer stage, with the Fan Gaoxiang/Zhao Kai crew finishing 23rd in the car category, successfully completing their Dakar debut.
Chinese Power: The entire Jiujiang team performs steadily and reliably
Facing the world's top competition, Jiujiang team adopted a steady and cautious strategy. First-time participants Fan Gaoxiang and Zhao Kai finished their debut in 23rd place (later adjusted to 28th due to time penalties), while the team of Tao Yongming and Fu Liguo secured 27th place, and the experienced Lu Binglong and Sha He finished in 31st place.

The other three cars in the team also performed steadily, with Zhao Yuqiao, Zhang Biaobiao, and Xu Benyang all successfully completing the race. Among the 19 Chinese participating vehicles, six were from Jiujiang, demonstrating the solid progress in China's independent racing car development.

As a completely independently developed off-road rally car from China, the JJ3 T1+ successfully withstood the comprehensive test of Saudi Arabia's complex terrain in its Dakar Rally debut, with the stable performance of its suspension system on sandy and rocky sections being particularly crucial.

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Preview: The rocky stage returns
Yesterday's race proved that Chinese-made racing cars can leave a solid mark on this, the world's toughest race track. Today's rocky terrain will be even more challenging, as the race enters the SS2 stage, moving from Yanbu to Al-Ula. The 400-kilometer special stage mainly consists of winding mountain roads and rocky sections, with a consistently high risk of tire punctures.

For Jiujiang team, completing the race with all cars on the first day has already met their initial goal.

The long journey of the Dakar Rally has just begun, and the Chinese team will continue to move steadily forward on the world stage. The real test has only just begun!

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