Andre Villas-Boas: Former Chelsea and Tottenham boss to contest 2018 Dakar Rally

Former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed his intention to compete in the Dakar Rally next year after leaving his position as manager of Chinese side Shanghai SIPG.

The 40-year-old, whose uncle took part in 1982 Dakar Rally, will drive a Toyota Hilux in the car category.

Villas-Boas had initially wanted to contest the race on a motorbike but was advised against it because of the additional preparation time needed.

The event starts in Peru on 6 January.

"I spoke with my friend Alex Doringer, the manager of the KTM team, who told me that I would still need a full year's preparation to get there and that it was better to consider doing it with a car," said Villas-Boas, who owns several motorbikes.

"So I got in touch with Team Overdrive and here I am."

Villas-Boas is a motorsport enthusiast who has attended a number of Formula 1 races.

He spoke in 2011, when he was manager of Chelsea, about his passion for motorbikes and that he would often escape the rigours of Premier League football by going off-road riding in the Portuguese mountains.

"The passion for two wheels is something that grew in me," Villas-Boas said at the time.

"My first bike was a Yamaha XT 350cc, a heavy engine at the start. Then I've had Hondas and KTMs, as well as the trials bikes I've got.

"I have a bit of a crazy head, so I like enduro-bikes - I go into the mountains with the big rocks and almost kill myself!"