Special 10th Anniversary Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2028 event launched

Capacity audience at Bicester Heritage (UK) and online stunned to learn of longest ever P2P
Long awaited return to Mongolia announced with Gobi anniversary commemoration
Exciting new classes revealed including ‘3 Wheels or Less!’ and ‘1907 Tribute’
1907 Itala, sister of original winning car to compete in 10th Anniversary after 121 yrs
Anton Gonnissen attends with 2019 record breaking 1907 Mototri Contal

A capacity international audience assembled both at HERO-ERA’s HQ in Bicester Heritage (UK) and online, drew in collective breath as Tomas de Vargas Machuca (Chairman HERO-ERA) announced the longest and most adventurous Peking to Paris Motor Challenge ever in celebration of its 10th Anniversary.

Tomas explained;” As we celebrate the tenth edition of the legendary Peking to Paris Motor Challenge since it was first run in 1907, it is right that 2028 recreates the demands and endurance of the Peking to Paris Challenge by being longer and more adventurous. It will be a rigorous test of human and machine in the spirit intended!”

With the announcement of the P2P hitting new lengths, crossing 12 countries to reach new heights for its 10th edition, it was revealed that the event would run for 42 days and 17,500 kms in 2028, making it 2500 kms longer than the first ever edition, the 1907 Peking to Paris! Then, it ran a distance of 14,994 kms but took 61 days for the winner Prince Scipione Borghese to reach Paris in his 7 litre Itala. To mark the 10th Anniversary, Tomas de Vargas Machuca will also compete in his 1907 Itala, a sister car to the original and the most travelled Itala, it will provide a fitting tribute and reminder of the pioneering efforts of Prince Borghese 121 years on. So much so, that with the support of Prewarcar.com, a ‘Tribute 1907’ class has been created for vehicle marques that competed in the first P2P. In addition, as encouragement to Pioneer Class cars, they will receive a guaranteed entry. (Pre 1921)

Further news that the 2028 Motor Challenge route would return to Mongolia for the first time since 2019, was greeted with applause. The remote desert wonderland where the dunes whistle a tune and the Mongolian people extend their unique welcome, has long been the definition of pure adventure. The return has been made possible through diplomatic efforts as Mongolia has recently restricted international entry for adventure passage. However, with the full cooperation of the Mongolian authorities, the entire Peking to Paris caravan of rally and support vehicles will pause in the Gobi desert at a point close to the route of 1907 winner Prince Borghese and his Itala, to unveil a commemorative stone to mark the 10th Anniversary and the 121 years since the first Peking to Paris in 1907.

Such is the magnetic pull of the majestic country that event Route Coordinator Chris Elkins, a veteran of five P2Ps and 10 visits to Mongolia said; “despite my years of experience in Mongolia, I yearn to return, it is such a magical place. The desolate yet beautiful landscapes provide escape beyond imagination.

“The people are warm and hospitable and will give you what they have, despite having little themselves. To camp there is to be at one with the universe.

“One year, I sat there alone at a remote timing point in the vast open space for a day. You couldn’t hear a thing, no wind, not an animal, no living thing, no other sound anywhere, just total other worldly silence. You have to pinch yourself at times as a reminder of just how lucky you are to be there. There are not that many places in the world where that happens, it is quite a special place.

“Each time we have stopped in the capital Ulaanbaatar they have not only provided incredible mechanical assistance from local garages, but they have put on colourful civic celebrations to greet us which have been truly magnificent, so we are all happy to return to Mongolia.”

The good news continued to flow as Tomas de Vargas Machuca announced bold new additional classes of vehicle that will be eligible to compete on the Peking to Paris 2028, starting with the jaw dropping new category of ‘Three Wheels or Less’ which will be an invitation class for classic motorcycles (up to Dec 1975) and three wheelers. There will be a solo class, and five entries for classic 4 x 4 vehicles (Pre 1986) plus the 1907 Tribute class. The news impressed Dakar veteran and motorcycle adventurer, Belgian Anton Gonnissen. The 2019 P2P three-wheel record breaker and architect, Gonnissen, who was a special guest at the launch said. “This is great, I hope we will see some original three wheeled vehicles entering and going for my record.”

Anton pulled off a remarkable feat by finishing the 2019 Paris to Peking on an upgraded original Mototri Contal three-wheeler, the same model of trike that had entered the Peking to Paris in 1907, but then became the only vehicle not to finish. Anton not only finished the job for the Frenchman, but at the same time Anton Gonnissen set a remarkable record for the longest journey on a three – wheeler.’ (Guiness Book of Records)

He was not the only record breaker on the 2019 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge as American Mitch Gross, the owner of the largest steam driven vehicle collection in the USA, who was navigated and engineered by Chris Rolph, drove halfway round the world in a steam driven 109-year-old White MM Pullman. They set a steam propelled vehicle record at the same time as finishing the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge that year.

Anton, who is a veteran of 3 Dakars and two P2Ps on both three and four wheels, and kindly brought his record breaking Mototri Contal to the launch commented on the new classes; “It is clear to me that HERO-ERA is embarking on an even more challenging path for the most demanding and imaginative rally in the world. The ‘Three Wheels or Less’ - category refers to its original 1907 tradition and looks forward to inviting the most adventurous of us.”

Published:

Monday March 31st, 2025

Special 10th Anniversary Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2028 event launched

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