First shipment signals beginning of Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2024

Seventeen HERO-ERA support vehicles that will carry officials, marshals, medics, media and mechanical assistance crews across nine countries and 14,500 kms of the 8^th edition of the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2024, left Bicester Heritage today for China, signalling the beginning of the epic adventure.

After detailed mechanical work to the seventeen Toyota Hilux and Landcruiser 4 x 4 support vehicles headed by the Mechanical Assistance Team, the motorised backbone of the event was moved onto transporters and away to the docks for the long sea journey to Peking.

“This is the real starting flag for us” said Guy Woodcock, Competition Director of HERO-ERA and Clerk of the Course for the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2024. “After all the hard work and many obstacles overcome by many at HERO-ERA so far, the adventure finally begins. This is the first physical signal that we have started the 2024 event with the shipment of the seventeen support vehicles which I am sure will also be a reassuring sight to our competitors from around the world.”

Starting on the 18^th May from the Great Wall of China, 80 cars will traverse the world’s largest landmass, 14,500 kms across China, Inner Mongolia, Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan across the Caspian Sea. The teams will then tackle a continuing tough route through Georgia, Turkey and Greece before crossing to Italy, San Marino and France, finishing in Paris on the 23^rd June in the shadow of the great Italian Prince Borghese who won the first event in his Itala in 1907.

The Peking to Paris Motor Challenge has been described in the past as ‘Driving the Impossible,’ but it is fair to say that it truly is one of the world’s last great motoring adventures. After five years of waiting for the next edition, competitors are beyond excited, let the adventure begin.