REBELLION Timepieces Enters Dakar 2021
Rebellion Timepieces did not just sponsor the 43rd Dakar Rally in January 2021. They entered it. As the official timekeeper of the event, the Swiss watchmaker took the unusual step of fielding two cars, one driven by company president Alexandre Pesci himself, and the other by Romain Dumas, Le Mans winner and Pikes Peak record holder. The 2021 Dakar ran from 3 to 15 January through the deserts of Saudi Arabia, covering 8,000 km of some of the most demanding terrain in motorsport.
The Cars: Peugeot Chassis, Ford V8
The two Rebellion race cars were built on the Dakar-proven Peugeot two-wheel-drive buggy chassis, powered by a naturally aspirated Ford Mustang V8. The regulations imposed strict limits on both weight and output, capping power at 400 hp. Externally, the cars wore Rebellion's signature black, white and red livery. As Designboom reported from inside the team, Alexandre Pesci completed only ten days of test driving before entering the event, an extraordinary commitment from a first-time Dakar competitor.
What Happened on the Course
After nine stages of racing through Saudi Arabia's Hejaz and Najd regions, car number 351, driven by Alexandre Pesci, retired when the chassis broke beyond repair. Car number 315, with Romain Dumas behind the wheel, continued through all 12 stages to finish 42nd overall with a total time of 71 hours, 16 minutes and 48 seconds. As Rebellion confirmed on their own site, reaching the finish at the Dakar is itself a significant achievement: more than a third of entries do not complete the course.
The Limited-Edition Watches
The Dakar participation was marked by two limited-edition timepieces: the Predator Chronograph and the Twenty-One Three Hands. Both reference the motorsport heritage of the brand and the colours of the Dakar cars. The Rebellion Twenty-One Three Hands and the Rebellion Weap-One are available now at TheArsenale.
Discover the full range of exceptional independent watchmaking at TheArsenale, including the PH-01 Endurance and the Phenomen Axiom. Browse the complete TheArsenale watch collection for more.
