Rallying-Brazilian driver to race Dakar Rally with borrowed car after pirates delay original vehicle

:Brazilian Rodrigo Varela is set race the traditional Dakar Rally in a borrowed car after the ship carrying his original vehicle had to divert its route to escape Houthi pirates in the Red Sea, delaying its arrival by more than 20 days.

Varela, who was informed of the change on Christmas Day, was forced to find a replacement for his Can-Am UTV car, with the help of his father, former rally driver and Dakar champion Reinaldo Varela.

"We found a Can-Am in Portugal, owned by a driver who came to Brazil to race with us. But we had to make modifications and adaptations in a hurry. Fortunately, it worked and passed Dakar inspection," said Rodrigo in an interview with Brazilian media outlet UOL.

"However, we still don't have all the parts we will need for the Dakar, which is a long race and requires a lot of maintenance. For that, we are counting on the help of the other teams.

"The Dakar is a mixture of race and adventure. And that makes solidarity one of its most notable characteristics. People help each other when they can," he added.

Shippers from around the world are turning away from the Red Sea after Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi militants stepped up attacks on ships in the Gulf region to show their support for the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which is fighting Israel in Gaza.

The 46th edition of the rally, which is being held for the fifth time in Saudi Arabia, consists of a prologue and 12 stages spread over 7,891 kilometres from Alula in the north to Yanbu on the Red Sea.

The competition began on Friday with the 27km prologue race won by Audi's Mattias Ekstrom to determine Saturday's starting order. Varela and team mate Enio Bozzano Junior finished 63rd.