(IC)

Zhou Yuande has drawn much public attention at the 2012 Dakar Car Rally, a major international automobile rally. The race this year started on January 1, in Mar Del Plata, on Argentina's Atlantic coast. The rally will have five stages and will end on the Pacific coast at Lima, Peru, on January 15.

This is Zhou's second appearance in the rally. Zhou and his partner finished 31st last year. As an amateur, Zhou aims to finish higher than 19th, the previous record for Chinese drivers at the competition.