Dakar Rally 2015

[Jules G]

Well it's that time of year again, T minus 6 days until the big off.

The ASO have siced things up a bit this year with separate marathon stages for the bikes/quads and the cars /trucks. they are also venturing further into Bolivia this year as well.

Website: http://www.dakar.com/index_DAKus.html

Route http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2015/us/route.html

entry lists: http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2015/us/rider/rider-list-bikes.html

[lofty]

 I see Tom Coronel and Roman Dumas are in it this year and i wondered how many other current sportscar drivers are also allowed to take part. I Expect the list could be long. The cars and trucls etc sailed from Le Harvre i belive , do the teams fly?

[Maximum]

As allways : A lot of dutch Trucks against 3 russians ( eastern europe trucks )

[Kev_mk3]

fantastic

[Jules G]

I see Tom Coronel and Roman Dumas are in it this year and i wondered how many other current sportscar drivers are also allowed to take part. I Expect the list could be long. The cars and trucls etc sailed from Le Harvre i belive , do the teams fly?

Lofty, Team personnel will fly out. Only ASO staff on the boat with all the trucks, competition cars bikes etc. All the European media vehicles were on the boat as well.

Vehicles will be collected from the port in Argentina and then re-scrutinised by the ASO.

[lofty]

Blimey how big is the ship? Looking foward to watching the sand chucking.

[Jules G]

All the vehicles are off the ship and ready for collection from the dock.

Lofty this is the boat, already back at sea!

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/details/ships/shipid:275743/mmsi:247098900/imo:9246607/vessel:GRANDE_AMBURGO

[lofty]

Cheers Jules i see the ship sails Under the Cosa Nostra flag of convenience, i bet it's had some interesting cargo. Full size container ship for the contents of 1 long race, wow.

[Lorry]

The bottom half is a RoRo Ferry.

So the cars, trucks, bikes and support trucks drive in the bottom, and containers full of tools, parts, tyres, tents and provisions go on the top.  Clever.

[lofty]

Always pack the beer near the top. NOT at the bottom. I learnt the hard way!

[Jules G]

Always pack the beer near the top. NOT at the bottom. I learnt the hard way!

No need to pack beer, Argentina and Chile have some great beer, its all down to the Germans who emigrated in the late 40's and early 50's

Mendoza in Argentina even has a Guinness Bar  

[nopanic - neil]

Always remember this story about the Dakar race returning to europe

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/15/report-dakar-imposters-busted-with-800-kilos-of-cocaine-in-fau/

[Jules G]

Heads up for TV coverage starting tomorrow (Sunday):

Eurosport @ 17:10 for 5 minutes 

and then 30 minutes @ 22:30

coverage then between Eurosport and Eurosport 2 each day

[Maximum]

My all time favorite is Ari vatanen in a peugeot 405 GTI being overtaken bij Jan de Rooy in a DAF Truck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Xar-CD6MM

http://www.google.nl/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC0QtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DL2Xar-CD6MM&ei=AQepVIivKcP-ULn7gbAL&usg=AFQjCNFBI6iEH724wa9VA2T59P8iD87N9g&bvm=bv.82001339,d.d24

[Jules G]

Robby is back in the hummer

part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQWiIFVPBdU

part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2agiCfzLlo


and from a couple of years ago:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_SM8IBcRzo