Braking systems for rally-raid differ from those used in rallies in terms of robustness and durability

To tackle the 8,000 km of the Dakar race (half of which are special stages, the rest are transfers), the most famous endurance race in the world, many cars are equipped with custom-designed braking systems.

With forty years of experience in what was once called Paris-Dakar, Brembo has been a supplier for many cars competing for top positions for years.

Braking systems for the Dakar differ from those used in rallies in terms of robustness and durability. On the other hand, a Rally1 Hybrid competing in the WRC has a minimum weight of 1,260 kg and is driven with constant use of the brakes by drivers who use them to set trajectories.

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Cars competing in the Dakar, on the other hand, weigh at least 2.1 tons, and drivers can cover stretches of up to ten kilometers without touching the brake.

 

However, when the Dakar course requires sudden braking, for example from 190 km/h to 60 km/h, the effort required from the braking system is significantly higher than that of rally cars.

 

The result is a high energy peak that risks warping the discs. To avoid this problem, Brembo engineers have worked on floatability, allowing the disc to expand.

 

Since Dakar tracks alternate between various types of terrain (from fine sand to dirt, passing through rocky terrains), Brembo braking systems have no protruding parts that could be easily damaged.

Moreover, extreme weather conditions require a system that works perfectly within a wide temperature range.

At night, in some regions of Saudi Arabia, the Dakar's location since 2020, temperatures can drop to minus 5 degrees, while in the early afternoon they can exceed 40 degrees.


To prevent performance drops in Marathon stages of over 700 km to be covered in two days without the possibility of intervening on the vehicle at the end of the first day, Racing pads have a length of 164 mm compared to the 140 mm used in rallies.


Made on a ceramic base, the RB350 and RB340 compounds guarantee the highest resistance to fading and wear on the market, significantly helping to contain the temperature of the disc and fluid in the caliper.

 

The RB350 pads are distinguished by a very high initial bite, while the RB340 boast very high braking modulation. The 6-piston calipers are made of aluminum and feature air cooling, replaced in more complex cases by water cooling. For the 2016 edition, Brembo also created ultralight discs that reduce masses compared to the previous year.