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Home hero Wei Han and navigator Ma Li gave South African rally raid car manufacturer Red-Lined its biggest international race victory yet when the pair brought their Han Wei Motorsport Red-Lined REVO T1+ V8 home to win the Taklimakan Rally in China on Saturday.

Han, Li and their Red-Lined REVO+ went on to beat a remarkable 72-car entry in the FIA Ultimate category to win this gruelling 12-day, 11 stage and 4,600km race otherwise known as the ‘Oriental Dakar’ across the ever-challenging Taklimakan desert. In so doing, Han recorded his fourth overall win of this prestigious event. 

Double reigning Dakar T1 class winner Red-Lined Motorsport has had numerous T1 class wins internationally, but the 2024 Taklimakan Rally was the Kyalami race car manufacturer’s first major Ultimate category rally raid victory.

“This year's Taklimakan Rally felt like the Dakar Rally in terms of pace, the competition was extremely hard and the event was long and gruelling,” according to Han Wei: “The route this year was particularly harsh and challenging, making it especially difficult just to finish the event. 

“Winning this event on its 20th anniversary is a great achievement for our team and crew. We thank the organizing committee for all their hard work and although we have won this event a few times before, this gold medal shines the brightest of them all.”

“Huge congratulations to our Chinese teammates Wei Han and Ma Li on their overall Taklimakan Rally win!” Red-Lined Motorsport CEO Terence Marsh added.  “This is a major win for us as a manufacturer and a particularly rewarding one. Our REVO T1+ V8 won in a super competitive field of Ultimate rally raid cars, which included 22 T1+ machines from most of the leading international manufacturers. 

“The Taklimakan Rally is regarded as the second biggest rally raid race in the world after the Dakar, so a massive shout-out once again to Wei Han and his Han Wei Motorsport team on what is a truly incredible achievement. We are extremely proud, to say the very least!”