Lisbon-dakar 2008 cancelled

[-ZG-BUZZARD 0]

For the first time in 30 years the Dakar Rally was cancelled by the main organisation ASO after being warned by the french government about threats made to the rally and the organisation not being able to assure the safety of the participants...

Even proposals to bypass Mauritania and doing more stages in Morocco were refused by ASO, the rally being postponed until next year, where the organisation hopes things will be better... I just wonder how, are they going to send the French Foreign Legion to provide safety?

[Mr_Tea 0]

That`s very sad, and makes me want to kick some terrorists asses.

[USSRsniper 0]

BUZZARD @ Jan. 04 2008,13:55)]For the first time in 30 years the Dakar Rally was cancelled by the main organisation ASO after being warned by the french government about threats made to the rally and the organisation not being able to assure the safety of the participants...      

Even proposals to bypass Mauritania and doing more stages in Morocco were refused by ASO, the rally being postponed until next year, where the organisation hopes things will be better... I just wonder how, are they going to send the French Foreign Legion to provide safety?  

French Forgein Legion? probalby not going to be used, because its expensive.... getting soldiers in other country is probably more expensive then orginizing Dakar race.... ASO probably thinks that things will quiet down as time goes.

[shinRaiden 0]

There's a few solutions.

1 - Drive faster.

2 - Drive only at night.

3 - Announce that the AU SAS are fielding a team.

4 - ArcLight. Would make the course more eXtreme too, better media coverage, more $$$

5 - There's a lot of Kamaz's in the truck division, it could be a matter of soviet national pride to have a soviet army entry and fire off rounds at anything that moves. Who said anything about playing fair? If the other competitor's cars are flaming hulks out there, you win.

Seriously though, it's not just empty threats that's concerning.

http://www.iht.com/article....lly.php

And as much as the government would like to protest, there's a lot of empty ground a long way from Nouakchott and a lot closer to no-mans-lands of Algeria and Mali that would be and has been rather difficult to guarantee security or support in.

[wex-q 0]

Maybe open a APC/IFV- and MBT-class for next years Dakar?

Nah, really too bad. I think it's kinda fun to watch it (atleast summaries, way to much time spent watching live).

A really awsome race, would be a great achivement to actually drive it once in a lifetime.

[MehMan 0]

I think the most viable solution would be to cover the race with AC-130s. You know, the onboard cameras can cover more than press on helicopters. Cough.

[Mr_Tea 0]

There is the idea to race in the Australian outback in the future.

It`s the end of Lisbon-Dakar, and any big race events on the african continent, as it sinks more and more into Chaos every year.

Imho Africa is a lost continent too. No african nation works, because of the tribal thinking, that can be found everywhere in Africa.

I hope i`m wrong, but i`m afraid i`m not.

[Maddmatt 1]

No african nation works, because of the tribal thinking, that can be found everywhere in Africa.

I hope i`m wrong, but i`m afraid i`m not.

You're pretty much right. Even South Africa looks like it might end up like Zimbabwe in a while

[cozza 24]

really sad when I heard of the Dakar getting canceled. Its one of the things I love watching every year. Just a question to the person that said they can watch it live. Is it live on TV where you are? In aus we only get 30 minutes summaries a day

[Balschoiw 0]

I was very much looking forward to this event as it´s THE rallye event of the year for me.

Apart from that it´s a big loss for the people who live there and make most of the annuary money with the rallye. It means no free spare parts and abandoned vehicles for the locals aswell.

[Mr_Tea 0]

really sad when I heard of the Dakar getting canceled. Its one of the things I love watching every year. Just a question to the person that said they can watch it live. Is it live on TV where you are? In aus we only get 30 minutes summaries a day

You will maybe have the rally right at you`re front door, in a few years. I´d bet you`ll get a better coverage than.

[ozanzac 0]

Yeah, quite a shame it's cancelled. Even worse is the probability that an event stepped in such tradition, is unlikely to happen again.

I didn't care much for the purpose built machinery, but the motorbikes, production cars and trucks in particular, were simply awesome to watch!

All is not lost though. I'm sure there are other vast, desolate places on earth to test the endurance of man and machine , with far greater political stability! Siberia, Northern Canada, and the Australian outback, all come to mind as equally challenging environments!

[baddo 0]

Well it was a right decision to cancel the race.

Think about organizing it... how do you change your plans as drastically as changing the special stages to another country in the last moment? Better just drop it and have a look again for next year.

[wex-q 0]

really sad when I heard of the Dakar getting canceled. Its one of the things I love watching every year. Just a question to the person that said they can watch it live. Is it live on TV where you are? In aus we only get 30 minutes summaries a day

Yeah, my TV/Internet/telephone-company has EuroSport in the TV-package whichs shows Dakar live (afaik).

[cozza 24]

really sad when I heard of the Dakar getting canceled. Its one of the things I love watching every year. Just a question to the person that said they can watch it live. Is it live on TV where you are? In aus we only get 30 minutes summaries a day

Yeah, my TV/Internet/telephone-company has EuroSport in the TV-package whichs shows Dakar live (afaik).

awsome. Damn, wish they had Euro Sport in Aus.

Quote[/b] ]You will maybe have the rally right at you`re front door, in a few years. I´d bet you`ll get a better coverage than.

Awsome, havnt heard of that. We allready have a endurance rally in Australia. Andy Coldecott won it 4 times, thinks it called the Australian Safari or something. But still a thing like the dakar rally in australia. Go from Perth to Sydney will be quite awsome. Hell I'd go in it. Borrow my mates KTM lol

[USSRsniper 0]

Terrorist threat? kamaz team will become T-90 team loaded with HE frag  rouds

But to be serious, what if next year ion other country French tourists will get killed? Will race end up like this year? because you can't be sure that things will be better next year, you can only hope for it...

[Mr_Tea 0]

We should think of the Dakar as something from the past.

The future of the "The Rally" is at a safer place, they can`t afford to cancel another rally right before the start.

So Australia would be perfect, no security problems and the perfect terrain to make an awesome rally.

[MehMan 0]

We should think of the Dakar as something from the past.

The future of the "The Rally" is at a safer place, they can`t afford to cancel another rally right before the start.

So Australia would be perfect, no security problems and the perfect terrain to make an awesome rally.

Indeed, it would fit perfectly. Then one could just make a certain tanker...and a rig that could haul that tanker...and we have ourselves Mad Max:The Real Deal.