Dakar and Rally-Raid discussion...

[Gerard C]

A "new" problem has arisen in the cars category, derivers and co-drivers suffer a lot. Those are athlets of course but the suspensions are so hard now, in spite of an ultra long travel, and the speeds reached so high that soon any human will be unable to stand such a treatment during two weeks or less.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

A "new" problem has arisen in the cars category, derivers and co-drivers suffer a lot. Those are athlets of course but the suspensions are so hard now, in spite of an ultra long travel, and the speeds reached so high that soon any human will be unable to stand such a treatment during two weeks or less.

One of the car teams has already retired because of the co driver's (ex biker who switched to 4 wheels)back pain, sorry didn't catch his name.

[Gerard C]

Orlando Teranova from Argentina. He's not the guy next door, 14 Dakars in car after two in bike, Morocco and Yunisia winner. He knows what he's talking about.

[Gerard C]

The EoP thingy (I named it BoP) is not over yet. Instances are permanently monitoring the cars and there's an agreement with all teams to adjust power if necessary. This was accepted prior to the race. Some are moaning about the fact this should not have beeen revealed to the public or media…

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Orlando Teranova from Argentina. He's not the guy next door, 14 Dakars in car after two in bike, Morocco and Yunisia winner. He knows what he's talking about.

Yep, thanks Gerard. As you say he's no rookie. Every year I am just amazed at the physical and mental resolve that these competitors possess.

[E.B]

Got to feel a bit sorry for local (to me) Melbourne lad Daniel Saunders who on top of struggling in this his first competitive ride since breaking his elbow and arm last year on a Dakar road section, lost his lead in the Bikes section in Stage 5.... he suffered a bug which has drained his strength and energy which, on a section that should have suited him cost him 20 minutes and dropped him from the lead to 8th overall now. He said he was already suffering in his arms from his injury forced lack of preparation.

Hope he gets over his bug and gets back to the front again.

[Gerard C]

Yes I saw that, not sure the doctors will allow him to go much further if they dont find something to help him. One of the riders said he was totally exhausted after riding four and a half hour in the sand at WOT.

[Gerard C]

Its Edouard Boulanger who suffers, the driver Peter also called Monsieur Dakar, has to give up. Who can remember the name of his 2019 co-driver suffering some injuries too? Yes, David Castera, now CoC of the Dakar for Amaury. Yesterday, Peterhansel said the suspension stiffness was a concern, his neck was really painful.

Really strange spell put on the Audis because Sainz crashed his car at the same place today.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Yes I saw that, not sure the doctors will allow him to go much further if they dont find something to help him.

Daniel Sanders thinks his sickness may be due to poisoning by a thorn which became stuck in his arm. Its either that or maybe food poisoning. Hope he can improve his condition and the bug passes, but 20 minutes deficit is a big gap on the bikes it seems

Re the Audis indeed odd. But now I guess Mr Dakar may not be able to continue... not sure if Boulanger can continue

Both Sainz and Mr D now out of the top 10 overall and Ekstrom who had such a bad starrt is now the only Audi in the top 10.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Its Edouard Boulanger who suffers, the driver Peter also called Monsieur Dakar, has to give up. . Yesterday, Peterhansel said the suspension stiffness was a concern, his neck was really painful.

Reports here from Mr Dakar himself confirm he also had to go to hospital for observation and checks because he said he was rendered unconscious in the impact.

“At the speed we were going, we took off and landed at the bottom of a dune which was 10 or 15 metres high,” recounted Peterhansel.

“Honestly, I have no memory of it because I lost consciousness.

“Edouard told me he was the one who switched off the engine. When I eventually came to, Edouard wasn’t in the car; he was lying in front of it.

Interestingly he confirmed the rain has made the conditions much worse ffor cars and occupants because of the moisture
“When the sand is wet, it’s much harder, and the camel grass becomes like concrete.”

“We’re at the limit of what the car can handle and what actually limits us is the damage that our bodies can take.”

It seems Sainz was in convoy following Peterhansel and followed him closely over the same dune.
Sainz problems were made worse because of the hybrid configuration, ....with Audi noting that “a high-voltage expert” had to be sent with the support truck to the crash site. I guess no work could be started if the car was "live"


Edit: Just checked and Mr Dakar is not listed atm as a withdrawal or exclusion on the Dakar website, so hopefully he and Boulanger have been medically cleared and can continue, albeit way down the order. I have to admit being unsure of the rules as they obviously failed to complete the stage... does that come with no recourse to rejoin.

[Gerard C]

The pain in the neck - litterally- has been reported by Chicherit too, this one being a real dare devil. And the electric thing must be a concern, whether in case of troubles or even worse fire. As you say EB, they need an engineer to fix, or not, things as was the case at Spa for a Toyota.

Strange enough, the buggies are not in the same league - no pun here - they are lighter, slower and the suspension travel seems longer.

[Gerard C]

EB, if you have the opportunity, try to have a look to the racing seat (baquet yes?) of Peter's Audi. Very different from what we are used to see elsewhere but not enough it seems. Just seen that Loeb is already driving with a large strap on the neck…

[Gerard C]

Cant say about Peter but the organisation canceled today sat seventh stage, a marathon of 861 km, for the bikes and quad categories. Reason is the heavy rains and state of fatique of the riders.

[S griffin]

Al-Attiyah looks like he has this one covered, especially now Sainz and Peterhansel are out of it

[NaBUru38]

Classification after stage 8:

Bikes

• 1. USA Skyler Howes (Husqvarna), 30:34'
• 2. ARG Kevin Benavides (KTM), + 0'13"
• 2. USA Mason Klein (KTM), + 0'13"
• 4. AUS Toby Price (KTM), + 1'58"
• 5. CHI Pablo Quintanilla (Honda), + 2'45"
• 6. FRA Andrien Van Beveren (Honda), + 2'49"
• 7. AUS Daniel Sanders (Gas Gas), + 7'
• 8. ESP Joan Barreda (Honda), + 7'
• 9. CHI Josè Ignacio Cornejo (Honda), + 19'
• 10. AUT Mattias Walkner (KTM), + 22'

T1 Cars

• 1. QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota), 31:2'
• 2. RSA Henk Lategan (Toyota), + 1:03'
• 3. BRA Lucas Moraes (Toyota), + 1:20'
• 4. FRA Sébastien Loeb (BRX), + 1:52'
• 5. RSA Giniel de Vulliers (Toyota), + 2:04'
• 6. FRA Romain Dumas (Rebellion), + 2:27'
• 7. CZE Martin Prokop (Ford), + 2:37'
• 8. RSA Brian Baragwanath (Century), + 2:42'
• 9. CHN Han Wei (SMG), + 3:15'
• 10. ARG Juan Cruz Yacopini (Toyota), + 3:40'

T3 Light Prototypes

• 1. BEL Guillaume de Mévius (OT3), 36:03'
• 2. USA Austin Jones (Can-Am), + 3'
• 3. USA Seth Quintero (Can-Am), + 1:02'
• 4. CHI Francisco López (Can-Am), + 2:30'
• 5. ESP Cristina Gutiérrez (Can-Am), + 2:53'

T4 SSV

• 1. LTU Rokas Baciuška (Can-Am), + 37:33'
• 2. POL Marek Goczal (Can-Am), + 4'
• 3. POL Eryk Goczal (Can-Am), + 5'
• 4. ESP Gerard Farrés (Can-Am), + 6'
• 5. ARG Jeremias González Ferioli (Can-Am), + 42'
• 6. BRA Rodrigo Luppi De Oliveira (Can-Am), + 1:39'

T5 Trucks

• 1. CZE Ales Loprais (Praga), 36'30'
• 2. NED Martin Van Der Brink (Iveco), + 16'
• 3. NED Janus Van Kasteren (Iveco), + 38'
• 4. CZE Martin Macik (Iveco), + 38'
• 5. NED Mitchel Van Der Brink (Iveco), + 1:51'
• 6. CZE Jaroslav Valtr (Tatra), + 2:40'

[Gerard C]

Merci pour la classification, thanks! Do you think Loeb can land on the podium, any place of the three?

[FIRE]

Audi

[justracing]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Audi

Yep, they're looking pretty washed up whilst the perennial, rugged Toyota army marches on. The battle at the top for places in the bike category is too close to call.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by justracing

Yep, they're looking pretty washed up whilst the perennial, rugged Toyota army marches on. The battle at the top for places in the bike category is too close to call.

Being an Audi driver / supporter myself these days I found is quite disappointing I must confess.
Credit to Toyota though, as they seemed to have this one nailed from very early in the piece.
Fascinating battle for bike honours though with the top 3 covered by 13 seconds and only minutes covering the next batch. It is thereforecthe bikes that are the focus of my attention / interest now given the Toyotas being in cruise mode

[S griffin]

Loeb doing well atm. Can he catch Al-Attiyah though?

[Gerard C]

Toyotas and Audis are not in the same league. The Qtrons could be classified as advanced vehicules or buggys of tomorrow, while Toys are more conventional. Thus being tougher and maybe easier to maintain in the middle of nowhere.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Loeb doing well atm. Can he catch Al-Attiyah though?

Unless Al-Attiya suffers a major mechanical issue or a brain fade I cant see it. As Gerard suggests, the relative simplicity of the Toyota seems to have rendered them pretty bullet proof, and also less fragile in the tough conditions.. With nearly 2 hours up his sleeve over the first non-Toyota A-A can cruise from here and not have to take chances or risk too much.

Having said that we are only now just over half way through so plenty of time left for anything to happen....

[Gerard C]

And now Sainz in the rescue tchopper asks to make a Uturn and take the wheel back. Not sure it will impress the doctors tho! But OK, he's back in the game waiting for his assistance together with Cruz… Kwaizy dakaw…

[Gerard C]

Stage 9 gives Loeb, Zala and Chicherit (Prodrive Hunter) Al-Attiyah finishing 9th by c 9 minutes. Cool. Now Loeb is third thanks to Lategan troubles, only 18 minutes from Moraes. Fingers crossed.

[justracing]

What a competitor Sainz is, just hope his back injury doesn't prove a long term problem for him, certainly no doubting his commitment.