Veteran Lu plots new desert storm for Dakar Rally

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.