The 2008 event was called off a day before it was due to get underway in Lisbon after 'direct threats against the race were issued by terrorist groups'.
Those threats came after four French tourists were murdered in the Mauritania region – which was due to host a large portion of the event –and led to suggestions that the rally could move elsewhere as a result.
According to the BBC, the 2009 Dakar will start and finish in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires and will consist of 6000km of special stages in a route of 9000km that will also see stages run in neighbouring Chile.
Priority for entries is set to go to teams who had been due to compete this year.
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