Four-time Dakar Rally veteran Lu Ningjun will battle with the best of the best this week as the Monarch Lubricating Oil Team becomes the first Chinese outfit to participate in the challenging T1 Group of the world's most grueling race.

Most of the drivers in the inaugural Dakar Rally in 1979 came from France. In contrast, 70 percent now hail from other countries and continents.

Despite the expensive nature of the race, which costs upwards of 150,000 euros ($200,000) per car, seven Chinese drivers have competed in it since 2003, but none in the T1 Group. Of them, the best performance came in 2004 when Xu Lang of Team Paladin finished 19th.

The car class of the Dakar Rally is made up of vehicles weighing less than 3,500 kg (7,716 lb) and is subdivided into several categories. The T1 Group is made up of improved cross country vehicles and the T2 Group is made up of cross country series production vehicles.

The latest Chinese team, sponsored by Beijing Monarch Petroleum Chemical Co Ltd, China's largest privately owned lubricant oil producer, will therefore have an even tougher time against industry giants like Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and BMW.

History has shown that teams in the higher-grade T1 class often sit at or near the top of the overall rankings in the Dakar Rally, making this something of a trial by fire for the Monarch team.

Lu, who has spent years cutting his teeth at the T2 level, described his shift up a gear in glowing terms.

"It's a dream come true for me to drive a rally car in the highest-level group," said the Chinese driver, who has never before broken inside the top-40. "I'm confident I can set a new personal best in the 2009 race. I also hope I can break the record of 19th place by a Chinese."

China has only taken part in the car section of the rally, which switches continents next year with a 9,000km race planned for Argentina and Chile.

The move from its traditional home in Africa to South America was triggered by the cancellation of this year's rally due to security concerns after four French tourists were murdered in Mauritania last December.

The race, featuring 6000 km of special stages, will now set out from Buenos Aires on Jan 3 before making its way back to the Argentine capital's Plaza de la Republica for a Jan 18 finish.

(China Daily December 30, 2008)