2008 Dakar

[Knowlesy]

Whilst I suppose one could look and say this is giving in to the terrorists, there is really no other option. The threat is very real and it is no use toying with peoples lives just so they can drive across some deserts. This is a major danger. Only an idiot/sadist would allow the event to run.

It has cost the event a lot, not just financially, so I don't think the decision has been taken lightly somehow. The right call, let's just hope it can make a return for 2009.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Whilst I suppose one could look and say this is giving in to the terrorists, there is really no other option. The threat is very real and it is no use toying with peoples lives just so they can drive across some deserts. This is a major danger. Only an idiot/sadist would allow the event to run.

It has cost the event a lot, not just financially, so I don't think the decision has been taken lightly somehow. The right call, let's just hope it can make a return for 2009.

I agree.

In the past there were more threats, but these were from local guerillas and pirates. Al-Qaeda is different. I am not sure if there will be a Dakar rally next year. After this years "success" I am sure Al-Qaeda will do the same threats next year.

A few months ago there were rumours the rally will move to South-America. I think Australia and Russia (or other countries in the east) are good options.

[Burnsie]

According to a certain motorsport news website, the reason the rally was called off was because "...no insurance company would agree to cover the event following the terror threats, not simply that the organisers decided to call it off on their own merit."

Despite this technicality, I'd like to think that even if insurance cover could have been found, the organisers would still have cancelled the rally in the interests of public and driver safety.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Whilst I suppose one could look and say this is giving in to the terrorists, there is really no other option. The threat is very real and it is no use toying with peoples lives just so they can drive across some deserts. This is a major danger. Only an idiot/sadist would allow the event to run.

It has cost the event a lot, not just financially, so I don't think the decision has been taken lightly somehow. The right call, let's just hope it can make a return for 2009.

Emotive stuff Sir...the problem here is that it will only take a veiled threat or well placed call to the media to stop just about any other motorsport activity (organisers being so risk averse and conscious of the insurance bottom line)......"the war on terror" needs to take many forms including managing dangerous activities in dangerous and volatile places...forget Al Qaeda for a moment...there are still enough bandits, pirates, local thugs and war lords around to make life interesting for any event.

[ss_collins]

So what is Eurosport going to fill up all the hours of coverage with? right now theres a documentary on the event history on

[bil588]

Has the Speed Channel ever covered the Dakar rally?

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

So what is Eurosport going to fill up all the hours of coverage with? right now theres a documentary on the event history on

According to Carlton Kirby, they'll be screening footage of old Dakars and whatnot.

[shhh]

Gutted this has been cancelled.

Here is a lovely tribute vid

http://www.motorsportmad.com/view/32...ally---tribute

[ss_collins]

Hope not gone for good the Dakar is an event I've always wanted to do - in one of the single seaters

[alonso11]

Monteiro wanted the same he was on the entry list with a buggy. Dont you worry tho, 2009 and 2010 are confirmed, will start from Barcelona and Budapest respectively.

Many privateers decided they will still do a bit of a desert fun and entered the Bamako rally starting next week (a 7500km desert rally that usually goes paralel with the Dakar) http://www.budapestbamako.org/en/utvonal.phtml . There are talks that there'll be a replacement rally for the the rest too (including works teams that can not take part in the Bamako for contracual reasons) that is expected in March.

[racerkeke]

Originally Posted by bil588

Has the Speed Channel ever covered the Dakar rally?

Yep, but not since the NASCAR weenies took over. Before that we had an hour a night, running one night in arrears to the actual. Not perfect but darn good.

keke

[Burnsie]

Dakar Rally organisers are considering a race through central Europe this spring, if this article is to be believed: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/080120...onsidered.html

Will this give the teams enough time in terms of preparing for the rally? Surely their previous Dakar set-ups will be of little use for a European event?

[BertMk2]

I'm not sure how an event in Europe would work really - whilst it's good that they're trying to sort something out it's not exactly going to be a comparable replacement is it? How many teams would commit to this? Is there going to be enough interest in it? The Dakar gets coverage as it's one of the classic events of the year - will the replacement get the same coverage? I guess a lot of the "big name" drivers may have troubl competing later in the year too as their regular drives will be in full swing by then.

[Fish_Flake]

It seems as though Argentina, Brazil, and Chile are working together on a Dakar replacement.

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/s...=99&id=3186605

[Rgms320]

That's very exciting news. I really hope this comes about. Thanks!

[nickyf1]

Oh well, I guess it may be time to move on, Africa seems a dangerous place, and South America would be nice. But, ideally I would like it to stay, but that may not be possible.

[kingfloopy]

Speed Channel did cover it in the U.S. at one time. Versus has taken over the last couple years and last year they carried a half hour everyday around 5:30 in the afternoon followed by a wrap-up show. They were planning the same thing this year until it was canceled.

I was pretty disappointed to hear it was canceled. I think to survive it will need to move out of Africa. If the terrorists learned there garbage works this year they are going to do it again. I'm not sure if it will be the same elsewhere, but at least it would continue.

[Oldtony]

Why South America?
Australia can offer the same sort of variety as Africa with a much more stable and safe political climate.
Try this for size:
Perth to Cairns;
Day 1 Perth Meekathara - Willuna
Mainly transport but the opportunity for somr short, and some spectator stages.
Day 2 Willuna, up the Canning stock route past Lake disappointment to Gary Junction.
A very long, hard and rough day. Would require bivouac at Gary, and some upgrade of the airstrip to Dakar use standards.
Day 3 Gary Junction-Sandy Blight-Haast Bluff-Docker River- Yulara (Ayres Rock)
An equally long hard day, but full resort facilities etc at the Rock on arrival.
Day 4 Yulara- Alice Springs.
Gentle transport, mainly service and rest day.
Day 5 Alice-Finke (route of annual desert race) transport to Old Andaldo.
Comparatively short but fast and very testing. Early night. Strip would need an upgrade.
Day 6 Old Andaldo across the Simpson Dunes to Birdsville.
Very trying sand work as going would be constantly across dunes.
Good strip at Birdsville and they are used to handling crowds.
Day 7 Birdsville-Hughenden Long transport with some opportunity for short specials.
Day 8 Hughenden-Lynd-Mt Surprise-Chillagoe
Rugged broken gorge country with many testing routes.
Day 9 Chillagoe-Laura-Cooktown
The real sting in the tail of the event.
Day10 Cooktown-Cairns.
A couple of rainforest specials to the finish.
The people may be laid back and civilised but the country isn't.

[silver bullet]

The only problem I can see with holding the event in Australia is...............would it be restricted to only Holdens & Fords?

[porsche45]

Seems like South America it will be...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64687

[Oldtony]

Ah well. I guess the Australian desert was always going to be too tough for them

[BertMk2]

I quite like the sound of the Australian version - it's a long way to go for most of the teams (don't know if there's any locals that compete in the Dakar?). You can't deny it would present a challenge!

[alonso11]

Originally Posted by alonso11

Many privateers decided they will still do a bit of a desert fun and entered the Bamako rally starting next week (a 7500km desert rally that usually goes paralel with the Dakar) http://www.budapestbamako.org/en/utvonal.phtml . There are talks that there'll be a replacement rally for the the rest too (including works teams that can not take part in the Bamako for contracual reasons) that is expected in March.

The replacement rally is now confirmed officially: Starts on April the 19th from Budapest, its a 3000km Central European challange, all works teams (KTM, BMW, Mitsubishi, Schlesser, etc) are confiremed and on the entry list.

www.dakar.com ----> click the right frame of the site for more info.

The Budapest-Bamako rally finished in the meanwhile, went thru the very stages in Mauritania that the Dakar was canceled for... there were no terrorist threat whatsoever.