Dakar and Rally-Raid discussion...

[justracing]

The Coronel brothers are competing in a Century CR6 this year which must give them a good chance for a strong finish given their experience in less competitive vehicles. As Gerard says, the technology involved in these cars nowadays is pretty outstanding.

[Gerard C]

Will be interesting to follow, because it seems the study has been mainly based on aviation more than automobile technics. And at least, the inflate/deflate system does'nt look like a hidden turbo! Can they beat the Audi, is another question.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

T3 (Light Prototypes) entries include:

• Can-Am: Francisco López Contardo, Austin Jones, Santiago Navarro, Fernando Álvarez, Saleh Alsaif, Dania Akeel.
• Yamaha: Ignacio Casale, Annett Fischer, Camelia Liparoti, Ahmed Alkuwari Fahad.
• PH-Sport: Antoine Méo, Jean-Luc Ceccaldi-****on.
• OT3: Guillaume De Mévius, Ebenhaezer Basson.

T4 (SSV) entries include:

• Can-Am: Rokas Baciuška, Gerard Farrés, Marek Gocza?, Micha? Gocza?, Rodrigo Luppi De Oliveira, Pau Navarro, Molly Taylor, Nicolás Cavigliasso, Jeremias González, Juan Manuel Silva.
• Polaris: Xavier de Soultrait, Florent Vayssade, Pietro Cinotto.

Big news: Red Bull and Overdrive have split, instead the energy drink will sponsor the Can-Am factory team.

Seth Quintero, Austin Jones, Cristina Gutiérrez and Francisco "Chaleco" López will compete in the T3 Light Protoypes class.

Rokas Baciuška will enter the T4 SSV class.

Mitch Guthrie will drive a hybrid vehicle by MCE5.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Kamaz is missing from the T5 trucks entries. Instead we will have:

• Iveco: Martin Van Den Brink, Mitchel van den Brink, Kees Koolen, Martin Macikk, Janus van Kasteren, Victor Versteijnen, Richard de Groot.
• Tatra: Martin Soltys, Jaroslav Valtr, Tomáš Vrátný, Vaidotas Paškevi?ius.
• Renault: Pascal de Baar, Gert Huzink.
• Praga: Aleš Loprais
• MAN: Mathias Behringer, Gerrit Zuurmond, Jordi Juvanteny.
• Ford: Albert Llovera.
• Hino: Teruhito Sugawara.
• Scania: Rafael Tibau Maynou, Alberto Herrero, Miklós Kovács.?

With Kamaz not allowed to take part trucks will be an interesting class.

[Gerard C]

During his last passage in the dunes, Castera's average speed was mainly less than 15 kph in what they call "Empty Quarter"… At this rate it wont be empty for long! I wonder if the Classic's entrants will see many finishers.

[Gerard C]

A tyre puncture and a win for El Matador for the first stage. Every detail, as the spare wheel location and handling, has to be carefully studied, this is obvious. Cars: Sainz/Cruz Tean Audi Sport, Loeb/Lurquin Bahrein Raid Xtreme, Ekstrom/Bergkvist Team Audi Sport.

[S griffin]

El Matador is still at it at in his 60s. Although the puncture will have cost quite a bit of time and the others will be keen to pounce. It's still wide open atm. Some great names competing this year.

[E.B]

Interesting to see that Carlos Junior is there in a support role.... no doubt being a proud son as much as Senior is a proud Dad.

[Gerard C]

Yep, interesting to see if Senior is a little bit more relaxed now. You can write a book with all the adventures he had during the previous Dakars… We're glad to have Chicherit wearing the costume of Mr flat out everywhere whatever it costs!

[justracing]

James Hillier on his first Dakar adventure lies 66th overall, 10th in the Malle Moto class after the 2nd stage and Carlos Checa who progressed to 4 wheels last year continues to show good pace lying 13th overall in the cars whilst the irrepressible Coronel brothers are going well in 23rd position overall. Such a shame to see Sam Sunderland helicoptered off in the first stage with a suspected broken shoulder, a number of the top riders have commented on the speed at the top of the field, there are so many quick and experienced competitors out there.

[Gerard C]

Bad day for Sebastien Loeb, it will be hard of not impossible to fill the 1,20 hour gap before the finish line. Three punctures (if its confirmed) the same day, same car, is too much.

[justracing]

The lot of the Malle Moto riders, no outside assistance whatsoever, 1 trunk containing personals and tools plus a tent. Hilliers own words after stage 2 " Stage 2
Not going to lie, it's tough out there.
Today's stage was 430 km (267 Miles) Approx 7 laps of the TT course on the sand!
Got back to the bivouac and showered and ate. I had to change the wheels, and the tyres also needed replacing, then an oil change, filters etc and clean down. "
Ride, eat, repair, sleep and repeat for 2 weeks - these competitors are truly heroic.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by justracing

Ride, eat, repair, sleep and repeat for 2 weeks - these competitors are truly heroic.

Sure they are! As to wheels and tires they have to wait for the truck in charge. Sometimes, several competitors cooperate when arrived at bivouac the ambiance looks like a commando.

[S griffin]

Been a good event so far, teams and drivers really prepared for the challenge ahead. Always a good way to kick off the motorsport year

[Gerard C]

What can stop a desert race? The rain. Simple like that.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

What can stop a desert race? The rain. Simple like that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LRAgMkpPbU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ifSP2ruWbc

River in the desert...

[Gerard C]

Yes it was a logiclal decision safety wise, the tchopers could not fly. Those trucks are really stunning while their suspensions are most advanced. I wonder what some works team hyde behind the word "puncture". It seems the Audis suffer a weak link in the rear suspension may be the upper wishbone. I guess we'll never know the truth…

[S griffin]

Sainz is not happy and who can blame him? A lot of work has gone out the window with his problems. Two problems in one stage in fact

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

I wonder what some works team hyde behind the word "puncture".

Watching some of the highlights I'm sure they said that the Prodrive cars had 15 punctures in a day - seems very high, so as you say what are they classing as a puncture?

The rain certainly made conditions difficult too didn't it? Some of the coverage showed buggies stranded in fast flowing water being pulled out by some of the trucks - good to see competitors are still stopping to help others.

[Gerard C]

Not all categories allow the onboard inflate/deflate system. The top buggies (RWD) seem to have at least four different pressures preselected. Going from soft sand to stones and off track several times a day is not easy to manage.
As to the road book some are complaining on how the secret has been kept. This is not new at all and Saudi Arabia is far away from Mulsanne straight…

[Gerard C]

And now, the Audis are granted 10 more hp… OK there's a kind of BoP, accepeted by all. But changing the rules during the game, i-e race, is not accepted by all… Strange world.

[NaBUru38]

Classification after stage 4:

Bikes

• 1. AUS Daniel Sanders (Gas Gas), 18:40'
• 2. USA Skyler Howes (Husqvarna), + 3'
• 3. ARG Kevin Benavides (KTM), + 4'
• 4. ESP Joan Barreda (Honda), + 4'
• 5. AUS Toby Price (KTM), + 7'
• 6. USA Mason Klein (KTM), + 10'
• 7. CHI Pablo Quintanilla (Honda), + 11'
• 8. FRA Andrien Van Beveren (Honda), + 18'
• 9. ARG Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna), + 21'
• 10. AUT Mattias Walkner (KTM), + 28'

T1 Cars

• 1. QAT Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota), 16:34'
• 2. SAU Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Toyota), + 18'
• 3. FRA Stéphane Peterhansel (Audi), + 18'
• 4. ESP Carlos Sainz (Audi), + 32'
• 5. RSA Henk Lategan (Toyota), + 45'
• 6. BRA Lucas Moraes (Toyota), + 45'
• 7. RSA Giniel de Vulliers (Toyota), + 48'
• 8. SWE Mattias Ekström (Audi), + 50'
• 9. CZE Martin Prokop (Ford), + 1:14'
• 10. NED Erik Van Loon (Toyota), + 1:15'

T3 Light Prototypes

• 1. USA Mitch Guthrie (Can-Am), 18:59'
• 2. BEL Guillaume de Mévius (OT3), + 1'
• 3. USA Austin Jones (Can-Am), + 11'
• 4. USA Seth Quintero (Can-Am), + 1:21'
• 5. ESP Cristina Gutiérrez (Can-Am), + 2:29'
• 6. CHI Francisco López (Can-Am), + 2:51'

T4 SSV

• 1. BRA Rodrigo Luppi De Oliveira (Can-Am), 20:05'
• 2. POL Eryk Gocza? (Can-Am), + 14'
• 3. LTU Rokas Baciuška (Can-Am), + 24'
• 4. POL Marek Goczal (Can-Am), + 28'
• 5. ESP Gerard Farrés (Can-Am), + 30'
• 6. POL Michal Goczal (Can-Am), + 36'

T5 Trucks

• 1. CZE Ales Loprais (Praga), 19:29'
• 2. NED Martin Van Der Brink (Iveco), + 27'
• 3. CZE Jaroslav Valtr (Tatra), + 28'
• 4. CZE Martn Macik (Iveco), + 39'
• 5. NED Janus Van Kasteren (Iveco), + 58'
• 6. NED Mitchel Van Der Brink (Iveco), + 2:06'

[Gerard C]

Thanks NaBUru. The gap between Toys and Audis is really tight but lets see what 11 more hp give to the german team. Fierce battle in every category. Would be great if they keep politics out of the race. At this stage is it possible?

[S griffin]

Al-Attiyah is not happy:

https://www.autosport.com/dakar/news...arly/10417190/

Maybe other teams should have been more prepared?

[Gerard C]

Big fight involving Al-Attiyah, Loeb, Peterhansel and Sainz. Loeb rolled his car, and eventually Al-Attiyah/ Baumel win seconded by Sainz/ Cruz, Peterhansel/ Boulanger and Al Rajhi/von Zitzewitz.