Event Coverage UPDATE: January 17, 2019
CLICK HERE FINALE DAILY DAKAR
LIVE! TRACKING CLICK HERE!
Baja Safari Trophy
*Extreme E’s Electric SUV; ODYSSEY 21
Congrats Carlos!
*Sainz Wins Cars
2. Nasser Al-Attiyah
3. S. Peterhansel
1. Al-Attiyah; Stage 12 Win
2. Saidan +1’32”
3. Terranova +3’16”
Congrats Ricky!
*Brabec Wins Motos!
2. Pablo Quintanilla
3. Toby Price
1. Nacho Cornejo; Stage 12 Win
2. Ricky Brabec Racing +53”
3. Toby Price Racing +2’25”
*Karginov Wins Trucks
*Casale Wins Quads
*CAN-AM Currie Wins SSV
***Qiddiya Grand Prix***
*CARS; Nasser Al-Attiyah
*MOTOS; Toby Price
*TRUCKS; Anton Chivalov
*QUADS; Rafeal Sonic
*SSV; CAN-AM Casey Currie
***MOTUL SPORTSMAN MOTOS***
Emanuel Gyenes
CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE
DAKAR 2020 LIVE!
KINGDOM OF SAND
EVENT CENTRAL
Note From Gary Newsome,
Publisher BajaRacingNews.com
Ensenada, Baja Mexico
STAGE 12 COVERAGE BEGINS OUR HUGE SAND EVENT CENTRAL
STAGES 1-12 THEN DOCUMENT THE EVENT IN VIDEOS, RACE RESULTS AND IMAGES FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS!
LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE LINK TO "A DECADE OF DAKAR". OFF-ROAD LIVE!'s TEN YEARS OF DAKAR IN SOUTH AMERICA,
WHICH THE ASO REFERS TO AS "CHAPTER II".
OUR COVERAGE BEGINS "CHAPTER III".
STARTING DECEMBER 2019 AND
RUNNING THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2020.
ENJOY!
**Stage 12 Notes**
*09:46 Link route and Qiddiya Grand Prix! The first bikers have entered the 120 km link route leading to the start of the Qiddiya Grand Prix, a 13 km timed sector reserved to competitors still in the race (i.e. not competing under Dakar Experience rules). The results do not count towards the classification of the Dakar, but tackling the Grand Prix is a requirement for anyone who wants to be on the final podium!
**LAST STAGE START; 1ST BIKE OFF THE LINE [GMT +3] 07:25AM (Saudi Local time)TIMING IS LIVE! LAST STAGE! LAST STAGE**
*STAGE 12; Liaison > 262 km - Special > 167 km*
Changed From: "Link > 73 km – Special > 374 km – Total > 447 km"
"The final stage of the Dakar Rally on Friday will be shortened due to the construction of gas pipelines in the planned route. Stage 12, the final events in the DAKAR 2020 LIVE! showgram, which was originally scheduled to be a 374km test to wrap up the event, will now be reduced to 166km".
CLICK HERE FOR THE EXACT LOCALE OF THE FINISH CEREMONIES OF DAKAR 2020 LIVE!
*The Qiddiya Grand Prix on January 17 –
The final 20 kilometers Special Stage that wraps up the incredible LIVE! DAKAR 2020 – An entire field of e-competitors of electric and hybrid cars, motorbikes and trucks compete
to determine the winner of the
"Baja Safari Qiddiya Trophy!"
*DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Event Finish 1-17-2020 QIDDIYA*
Qiddiya Grand Prix featured in last leg of DAKAR 2020
Saudi Dakar to feature in last leg of Saudi Dakar Riyadh, KSA.
Qiddiya will host a special final stage race – the Qiddiya Grand Prix – as part of the last day of Saudi Dakar 2020. The Kingdom’s future capital of Entertainment, Sports and the Arts will be the venue for a final 20km battle for the drivers who manage to finish the main rally.
Baja Safari Qiddiya Trophy will go to the fastest eRacer!
Five trophies, one for each category of Saudi Dakar, will be awarded to the drivers who complete the race around the Qiddiya site in the best time. Qiddiya’s CEO, Mike Reininger commented, “Not only are we proud to host the podium celebrations for this world-renowned rally, but to have a special Qiddiya Grand Prix Trophy as part of this final day is unique and cements our commitment to being part of the Kingdom’s motorsport ecosystem. For us, the Rally Dakar is just the beginning as we start to create the Motorsports capital of the world at Qiddiya. Earlier, we released the Dakar anthem, “Million Miles”, sung by Hamza Hawsawi – X Factor MENA winner – in celebration of the Rally. It embodies inspiration as well as characteristics that are important to both the Rally and Qiddiya.”
The final day, stage 12, of the world’s toughest endurance race will see the rally drivers cross the rough terrain, from Haradh towards the Qiddiya site, with the last 100km pushing navigators to their limits as they conclude their 7,500km journey.
The podium ceremony for the 2020 Rally and for the Qiddiya Grand Prix will be held in front of Qiddiya’s iconic cliff. Spectators will then be treated to a spectacular show where Hawsawi will perform his new single live as part of the spectacular finale concert filled with surprises and special guest artists that promises to wrap up the inaugural Saudi Dakar Rally and Qiddiya’s hosting participation in grand style. “Million Miles” is all about drive and determination, and aims to inspire people to take initiative, reach for the stars and achieve their dreams, just like the drivers participating in Dakar 2020. The lyrics are about creating a legacy and having a story to tell years from now.
Qiddiya Investment Company
###
DAKAR 2020 LIVE! WRAP NOTES
*Baja Racing News LIVE!
EDITORIALS DAKAR 2020
*DAKAR OT3 by Overdrive in Saudi Arabia, the first prototype side-by-side (SxS) machine ever built specifically for global off-road racing
STAGE 5 EDITORIAL***EDITORIAL***EDITORIAL***
By: Gary Newsome, Editor-In-Chief, DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Special
Granted, this new class, this new category, this new vehicle is built by and for the ASO. We'll still give props to Cyril for the accomplishment. In particular, because no-one in North America is offering and running a series based desert competiton, in side-by-side vehicles. Only one visionary has thrown his hat over the fence on competition based side-by-sides.
We wonder how Robby Gordon feels about the ASO, stealing his thunder?!
The Dakar would not be the same without legendary competitor Cyril Despres, and the five-time winner did commit to the start-line for his 20th edition of the rally-raid this year. The multiple Dakar bike race winner, as well as two-time Silk Way Rally car category champion, is taking on an entirely new sportive challenge as he enters the side-by-side class in 2020.
Ever since crowd-funding his first participation at the Dakar in 2000, through to his success with KTM and Peugeot, the Frenchman has been feeling the need for speed and navigation. Now he’s winning in his 20th Dakar and his appetite for adventure remains as big as ever. Especially with the double mission Despres is setting himself this time; mentoring and coaching Red Bull Off-Road Team USA (Same Class) in addition to racing the world’s toughest rally-raid.
“I’m enjoying life, enjoying racing and enjoying giving something back to a sport that has given me so much.”
– Cyril Despres
Despres is winning in the OT3 by Overdrive in Saudi Arabia, the first prototype side-by-side (SxS) machine ever built specifically for global off-road racing. With 177 horsepower and 290Nm of torque provided by its FIA version 1000cc rear-mounted turbo engine, Despres has a serious machine in his hands.
"Global Off-Road Racing". Not some chump-hack-stump in butt-fuck Laughlin, Nevada!
Martelli Midgets can't read, so you'll have to tell 'em about our piece.
Greg, Polaris and 4WP (Four Wheel Parts) are so drunk they can't see out of their own debt! While the amateurs have been raking in North America and losing the sporting high-ground, as usual. The ASO Dakar people have put their marker on the table, we're expecting the Americans and Mexicans to keep stuffing money in their pockets, killing racers and spectators, while the rest of the world moves forward.
And SCORE-International gets lost in the dust, again!
EDITORIAL END
"Thanks for the memories, Rebellion Timepieces, AP, Baja Safari, Gary in Mex, Peugeot and our new friends in Saudi".
Jacque y Miguel
"Like Never Before"
DAKAR RALLY 2020 STAGE VIDEOS, RESULTS & PICS>>>
The route of the first edition of the Dakar in Saudi Arabia (House Of Sand) explores the vast expanses of the largest country in the Middle East.
The drivers and crews will be facing a total of 7,500 km, including 5,000 km of specials, five of them longer than 450 km. In a country where the desert is very large, 75% of the rally will be over sand…
all types of sand.
JANUARY 5th-17th ASO Rally-Raid Format
1* 5/01 - Jeddah Stage
STAGE 1 Saudi Arabia
CARS! RESULTS!
1. Vaidotas Žala
2. Sr. Dakar; Peterhansel +2'14"
3. El Matador; Sainz +2'50"
MOTOS! RESULTS!
1. Price
2. Brabec
3. Walkner
CLICK HERE Audio Toby Price Comments
A solid start our 2020 Dakar Rally!
"I had a few issues with my roadbook, something got jammed early on so I was really trying to get this sorted by adjusting the toggle switch throughout the stage as well as focusing on the task at hand but then later the roadbook actually to tore; I didn't have a roadbook for the last bit of the stage. Our end result makes the day look good but it certainly did not go smoothly, we've got another 11 days to go with a lot more challenges ahead of us!"
Toby will drop back from 1st position for the stage classification and will start down the order a bit tomorrow (how far down will depend on how fast he went for how long). Long and short of it: he won't have to lead out.
![[IMG]](https://i.imgur.com/x1waVIx.gif)
Laia Sanz Wheelie Stage 1 Dakar Rally Raid 2020
2* 6/01 - Red Sea Project Stage
STAGE 2 Saudi Arabia
CARS! RESULTS!
1. De Villiers
2. Terranova +3:57
3. Faisal +5:42
CARS OVERALL
1. Terranova
2. Sainz +4:43
3. Al Attiyah +6:07
-WILL LOAD WHEN AVAILABLE!-
MOTOS! RESULTS!
1. Branch
2. Sunderland +1:24
3. Quintanilla +2:21
MOTOS OVERALL
TOP 3
1. Sunderland
2. Quintanilla +1:18
3. Benavides +1:32
current standings:
8. Matthias Walkner +5:59
11. Ricky Brabec +8:45
14. Toby Price +12:13
Audio clip Sam Sunderland KTM Rider
![[IMG]](https://i.imgur.com/w99fuA3.gif)
3* 7/01 - Neom Stage
USA Brabec Wins stage, Motos!
El Matador takes charge, Wins stage and leads the Overall Dakar!
STAGE 3 Saudi Arabia
CARS! RESULTS!
1. Sainz
2. Al Attiyah +2:34
3. Przygonski +6:15
CARS OVERALL
1. Sainz
2. Al Attiyah +4:55
3. Terranova +8:15
-WILL LOAD WHEN AVAILABLE!-
MOTOS! RESULTS!
1. Brabec
2. Cornejo +5:56
3. Benavides +7:22
MOTOS OVERALL
TOP 3
1. Brabec
2. Benavides +4:43
3. Walkner +6:02
-WILL LOAD WHEN AVAILABLE-
Results in the bike category of Stage 3 of the Dakar Rally were altered due to a technical problem with the GPS system, with KTM duo Matthias Walkner and Toby Price the two biggest name to benefit from the decision.
The decision means the last 38 kilometres don't count and the stage ends at checkpoint #53, at the 389km mark. There was confusion at the end of the stage for riders such as Price and Xavier De Soultrait as the duo got lost, which cost them a significant amount of time. As Price explained, his problem stemmed from GPS showing a checkpoint in a wrong position."Right at the end there is a WPC [Control Waypoint, to which no directions are supplied by GPS] that was... it’s in the roadbook but not in the correct place," Price said. "So I spent a lot of time trying to find this and lost a lot of time there."Finally found it. But the WPC is not meant to have an open arrow [on the GPS]. And the arrow opened for it, and it was sitting basically on the top of a rocky mountain ridge. So I thought there might have been a road on the back side of it. "So I tried to climb up and over and get to the other side and yeah, just a bit of chaos and carnage."
Ricky Brabec still won the stage from Jose Ignacio Cornejo but by only 5m56s instead of his original 9m39s gap. Joan Barreda dropped from third to sixth but Kevin Benavides still completed an all-Honda top three on the day.Meanwhile, Walkner and Price have moved up to fourth and fifth, as more than half of their original deficit was erased. In the overall order, Brabec leads Kevin Benavides by 4m43s, with Walkner up to third followed by two more Hondas in Barreda and Cornejo.
RICKY BRABEC (USA): Stage 3 Interview:
A roadbook that changes everything for bikers:
What conclusions do you draw from this spectacular day?
"The day was good. The course was really fast, with many, many stones. The navigation was also really tricky but I just did my best to stay focused and when it was tricky, I just slowed down and took the time to figure out which direction to take. The roadbook is really good. The information is really, really nice here. So I had a lot of fun today. The course is really cool, and it's one of my favorite riding styles with sand and stones; all at high speed! Going a little bit back today was good for me. I didn't have too much dust because the top 10 drivers were three minutes away. I started 12th and passed the 11th before the twentieth kilometer and then I was free throughout the day. So it was nice and easy to push. I'm on the block, you know, but tomorrow will be difficult and it is always difficult to lead the way with everyone behind. We will do our best to stay focused."
How has the roadbook evolved in quality compared to previous years?
"I really appreciated receiving the roadbook in the morning. This gives us much more time to rest at the bivouac. It is also colorful and equal for everyone. I really like this roadbook. It's really well colored, as I said, and all the important information is different in color, it's super nice. We are in Saudi Arabia and this is a completely new country: it is epic, too. But it's great to be in a new place. There aren't many fans, not as many as in Latin America, but it's cool. When there are fans present, everyone wants to help you and there, we do not see thousands and thousands of people by the roadside. Just a few camels, a few people who drive and who don't even know the race is taking place! It’s really cool to be here. I wish we could receive the roadbook every morning, that would be really good."
Did you have any navigation problems today?
"No no. I made a pair of mistakes today, little mistakes. But like I said, nothing serious, not things that cost 15 or 20 minutes. I made a pair of small mistakes at maybe 30 seconds. I slowed down a bit to decipher notes on which there was a lot of information. I just slowed down to make sure I was good because when I was new to the discipline, I was just going too fast and getting lost. Now, I check and have fun."
Al Qassimmi was chasing Nasser and lost his visibility in the dust CLICK HERE VIDEO
Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimmi #308 Crashes Out Of Dakar Event CLICK HERE
4* 8/01 - Wadi Al Disah Stage
STAGE 4 Saudi Arabia
Big win in Al-ʿUla, "Mister Dakar" followed in the footsteps of Giniel De Villiers to win stages in all three continents that have hosted the Dakar. "It feels good after all that trouble in the first few days, even though we had a flat tyre and got lost once. It wasn't a flawless special, but it feels great to take the win. Leading the charge was hard and Carlos lost some time, but he did an amazing job because it didn't take him long to get back on track. He might be the MVP today. There were more stones than expected and the final 60 kilometres were really difficult. My co-driver and I are starting to communicate more serenely and accurately, it's getting better. This new Dakar is brilliant, it has all the ingredients: superb landscapes, tricky navigation and enough difficulties to make a selection. The organisers have been perfect so far."
CARS! RESULTS!
1. Peterhansel
2. Al-Attiyah +02'26”
3. Sainz +7’18”
MOTOS! RESULTS!
*Sunderland has been hit with a 5 minute penalty, incurred as a result of excess speed. Cornejo Florimo is therefore the stage winner.*
Provisional:
1. Sam Sunderland
2. José Ignacio Cornejo +0:11
3. Kevin Benavides +0:36
5* 9/01 - Ha’il Stage
Toby Price Wins Stage 5, Motos!
You know he's an alien, right?
El Matador Wins Cars Category today!
Spain's Carlos Sainz has won his second special in 2020 to reinforce his lead in the general standings. The Mini driver has finished almost 3 minutes ahead of his main rival Nasser Al-Attiyah, while Stéphane Peterhansel finished the day 6 minutes behind the Spaniard.
Red Bull Athlete
Cyril Despres Becomes the Most Prolific Dakar Champion, In Class History
By winning his first stage on his debut in the SSV category on the Dakar, Cyril Despres also became the first competitor to win a stage in three different categories. He is one of the greatest Bike Class Champions, Cyril has Championed in the Car Class and today, the new SSV Class.
Congratulations Class Champion, Cyril Despres!
Cyril Despres and Mike Horn resumed the race within the framework of the Dakar Experience after having broken their engine two days ago to win their first stage in the SSV race, just 41 seconds ahead of Aron Domzala. Because he resumed the race via the Dakar Experience formula, Despres will no longer be included in the general standings.
EDITORIAL***EDITORIAL***EDITORIAL***
By: Gary Newsome, Editor-In-Chief, DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Special
Granted, this new class, this new category, this new vehicle is built by and for the ASO. We'll still give props to Cyril for the accomplishment. In particular, because no-one in North America is offering and running a series based desert competiton, in side-by-side vehicles. Only one visionary has thrown his hat over the fence on competition based side-by-sides.
We wonder how Robby Gordon feels about the ASO, stealing his thunder?!
The Dakar would not be the same without legendary competitor Cyril Despres, and the five-time winner did commit to the start-line for his 20th edition of the rally-raid this year. The multiple Dakar bike race winner, as well as two-time Silk Way Rally car category champion, is taking on an entirely new sportive challenge as he enters the side-by-side class in 2020.
Ever since crowd-funding his first participation at the Dakar in 2000, through to his success with KTM and Peugeot, the Frenchman has been feeling the need for speed and navigation. Now he’s winning in his 20th Dakar and his appetite for adventure remains as big as ever. Especially with the double mission Despres is setting himself this time; mentoring and coaching Red Bull Off-Road Team USA (Same Class) in addition to racing the world’s toughest rally-raid.
“I’m enjoying life, enjoying racing and enjoying giving something back to a sport that has given me so much.” – Cyril Despres
Despres is winning in the OT3 by Overdrive in Saudi Arabia, the first prototype side-by-side (SxS) machine ever built specifically for global off-road racing. With 177 horsepower and 290Nm of torque provided by its FIA version 1000cc rear-mounted turbo engine, Despres has a serious machine in his hands.
"Global Off-Road Racing". Not some chump-hack-stump in butt-fuck Laughlin, Nevada!
Martelli Midgets can't read, so you'll have to tell 'em about our piece.
Greg, Polaris and 4WP (Four Wheel Parts) are so drunk they can't see out of their debt! While the amateurs have been raking in North America and losing the sporting high-ground, as usual. The ASO Dakar people have put their marker on the table, we're expecting the Americans and Mexicans to keep stuffing money in their pockets, killing racers and spectators, while the rest of the world moves forward.
And SCORE-International gets lost in the dust, again!
EDITORIAL END
Sam Sunderland OUT after a bad crash.
Sam quoted here, "The pain of a crash is nothing compared to the pain of disappointment, unfortunately my race is over after a crash today at kilometre 180, While fighting for the stage win and feeling like everything was under control, I caught a camel grass mound awkwardly putting the bike sideways into the next one and a few later I have 5 broken vertebrae and a shoulder blade but luckily no surgery is required and should be right again soon! I want to thank my team for building me the best bike I could ever wish for and for everyone around who help out during the good and the bad moments. Good luck to my team mates for the rest of the race, put an orange one on the top step!"
Dakar Fans from around the globe, send prayers and best wishes to Sam.
STAGE 5 Saudi Arabia
CARS! RESULTS!
1. Sainz
2. Al-Attiyah +2:56
3. Peterhansel +6:11
OVERALL:
1. Sainz
-WILL LOAD WHEN AVAILABLE!-
MOTOS! RESULTS!
1. Toby Price
2. Pablo +1:12
OVERALL:
1. USA Ricky Brabec
-WILL LOAD WHEN AVAILABLE-
Price and Sainz win stage, but OK...
Shaken by his rivals over the last few days, Toby Price reacquainted himself with success to climb back up the general standings, which are still led by the very consistent Ricky Brabec. Just like the title holder in the bike category, Carlos Sainz picked up his second stage victory of the year while pushing Nasser Al-Attiyah and Stéphane Peterhansel back by a few extra minutes.
On leaving Al Ula this morning, the riders, drivers and crews of the Dakar threw themselves into a genuine exercise of dexterity. Over 150 kilometers, the mainly sandy terrain forced them to be extremely watchful due to several rocky sections. They then reached the high plateaux of Jabal Sammar at an altitude of almost 1,500 meters, where in fact the hills to be tackled were often a series of tricky steps to be climbed. In any case, the city of Ha’il, renowned as one of the major settlements from the pre-Saudi era, is especially the national capital of the discipline for all-terrain aficionados.
The Rally of Ha’il is the most prestigious and oldest event in the country, on which Saudi riders and drivers have been battling against each other for more than ten years, making it a necessary stopping point for the first Dakar in Saudi Arabia!
Four days after his victory on the opening stage of the Dakar, Toby Price did it again with style. The alien down under, beat the Husqvarnas ridden by Pablo Quintanilla and Andrew Short, taking advantage of the problems encountered by Kevin Benavides and Jose Ignacio Cornejo to climb to second place in the general standings, which are still led by the very solid Ricky Brabec. In the quad race, Romain Dutu picked up his very first stage victory on the Dakar after a splendid duel with his countryman Alexandre Giroud, although this did not disrupt the domination of Ignacio Casale in the general standings.
In the equivalent classification for the car category, Carlos Sainz, who was at his best today, now firmly leads, gaining an extra 3 minutes on his fiercest opponent, Nasser Al-Attiyah. In third, Stéphane Peterhansel still lies in wait, ready to take advantage of the slightest weakness shown by his two rivals. Cyril Despres and Mike Horn resumed the race within the framework of the Dakar Experience after having broken their engine two days ago to win their first stage in the SSV race, just 41 seconds ahead of Aron Domzala. In the truck category, Dmitry Sotnikov obtained his first victory of the year ahead of his team-mates Anton Shibalov and Andrey Karginov to make it a 1-2-3 for Kamaz!
By winning his first stage on his debut in the SSV category on the Dakar, Cyril Despres also became the first competitor to win a stage in three different categories (bike, car and SSV), with an inexperienced co-pilot, namely Mike Horn. However, because he resumed the race via the Dakar Experience formula, Despres will no longer be included in the general standings.
Looking set to put in a good performance on the way to Ha’il, Sam Sunderland’s route came to a brutal halt after 188 km of the fifth stage. With injuries to his back and left shoulder following a severe fall, the Englishman has had to exit the Dakar prematurely for the fifth time out of 7 participations. One of KTM’s best chances of victory thus leaves the rally.
Stat of the day, 34-34. the battle between Nasser Al Attiyah and Carlos Sainz is a classic on the Dakar, like Borg versus McEnroe in tennis or Prost against Senna in Formula 1 in the 1980’s. In 2010, their duel finished with the smallest gap in the rally’s history, with only 2’12’’ between the two men, in favor of the Spaniard for his first triumph. Ten years later, after many episodes in this confrontation, the Qatari has won outright three times and obtained 34 stage wins in total, which is the exact number that Sainz reached today by wining the special in Ha’il.
Today's 'Quote To Note': Ignacio Casale: “It was a really positive stage for me. At the neutralised zone, Giroud and Dutu caught up with me because they had been riding at a very fast pace. I let them past and didn’t want to follow their pace even if I could have. My aim was to avoid losing too much time to my rivals. I think I rode a good stage. Today is when the real Dakar started. There will be really tough stages and I’ll have to be ready for them physically”.
6* 10/01 - Qassim Stage
*USA HONDA Ricky Brabec Wins Stage 6, Motos!*
*'Msr. Dakar' Peterhansel Wins Stage 6 Cars!*
LIVE! UPDATE!
AMERICAN RACE DRAMA!!!
Ricky Brabec, at last years 2019 DAKAR in Peru, South America, was leading into the end of the event, when DISASTER STRUCK! His engine failed and he was OUT of the event!!!
TODAY! DAKAR 2020-
*HONDA POSITIONED TO WIN THIS THING!
*HONDA ENGINE PROBLEMS
SCREAM FOR HELP!
USA Moto Team Set To Change History...
Report: "Broken engine for Benevides" and more disturbingly,
This text from HRC HQ to Ricky's team manager:
"CHANGE THE FREAKIN ENGINE ON THE REST DAY GODDAM IT".
HONDA Racing USA Status Report:
1 engine blown, what to do with Ricky’s? Pablo 21 minutes behind; Toby 26 minutes behind - change and reduce the gaps by 15 minutes - do they have the faith in the existing unit? Day after the rest day Brabec off first, Pablo 9 minutes later, but Toby after 30 minutes - the next Stage 7, is the longest special at 546 kilometers.
Used to be one free engine change then a big penalty for a second engine. Now 15 minutes for the first engine change.
The Official Rules on Engine Changes:
15 minute penalty for the 1st change.
45 minute penalty for the 2nd change.
2 hours for the 3rd and subsequent changes.
The opinions, 1) 'If it ain't broke dont fix it', 'Changing the engine introduces as much risk as running the same engine for the second half'. 2) A fresh engine vs. one that's done 50+ hours on the rev limiter? Suggest the BE bearing and top gear would be the main worries. No doubt Honda does an "in-house" oil analysis every night - but needle brg BE don't give 8 hours (full noise riding) warning that they're on the way out.
3) The preparation of the engine is free. Repairs to the engine’s ’top-end’ are free during the event. All interventions to the‘bottom-end’ (inside the main engine cases) will be considered as a change of 'engine'.
Once removed and replaced by engine B, the refitting of engine A into the machine will be considered as a change of engine, in the same way as replacement by engine C. Any change of engine will incur a penalties, as noted above.
“The resumption will be the opposite of a rest day… the longest stage in the Dakar and also one of the most varied. Dunes are scattered along the entire route and the drivers will have to cross small dune fields of a few kilometers. Between these climbing portions, off-road alternates with sectors with numerous crossings where the navigators will have to be on their toes at all times. Fast… but not too fast!”
Ricky Audio Clip:
"Today, the first day of sand", CLICK HERE
LIVE! UPDATE:
His first Dakar will finish with a very sorry image for Edvinas Juškauskas, his Toyota Hilux going up in flames after 243 km of the special, meaning an exit from the race is a certainty for the 28th placed driver in the general standings.
STAGE 6 Saudi Arabia
CARS! RESULTS!
1. Peterhansel
2. Sainz +1’35”
3. Al-Attiyah +3’22”
OVERALL:
1. Sainz
MOTOS! RESULTS!
1. Ricky Brabec
2. BangBang +1’34”
3. Walkner +2’45”
OVERALL:
1. USA Ricky Brabec
*REST DAY* 11/01 - Riyadh
*REST DAY IN THE SAUDI ARABIAN CAPITAL, RIYADH*
Yesterdays Stage 6 was a monster 830km leg, that included a 477 kilometers Special Stage.
The Dakar racers now get a chance to recover, both in physical and mental terms. They need to recover for any attempts to outpace this incredible week in the new forum of off-road racing, the new chapter of Dakar, global desert events, Saudi Arabia.
The route from Ha-il to Riyadh has taken racers over countless sand dunes, loose sand, more dunes and then sandy tracks to navigate to the stage finish. Carlos Sainz (Bahrain JCW X-Raid Team), Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team 2020) and Andrey Karginov (Kamaz-Master) lead the respective Cars, Bikes and Trucks categories after six days of relentless racing over terrain that's proved to be more challenging than expected for many crews. Punctures have punctuated the racing action, but it has only meant crews have raced even harder to fight for every minute and position on the general classification. After a stage-long battle against Toyota Gazoo Racing's Nasser Al Attiyah and Sainz, the MINI Buggy of Stephane Peterhansel (Bahrain JCW X-Raid Team) reached the stage finish line in Riyadh first. Sainz followed just 01min 35sec adrift, Al Attiyah third and 03min 22sec down to round out the podium positions for the day. Toby Price (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). The wily Sainz consolidates his overall lead over Al Attiyah now at 07min 46sec, and Peterhansel is 16min 18sec adrift of the lead, Al Rajhi is fourth overall and 36min 46sec down, and Orlando Terranova (X-Raid MINI) is fifth with a 43min 52sec deficit.Said Sainz: “Today I think opening the road again wasn't easy so I'm happy to arrive here in this position. Some parts were very fast, there were some dunes, some crossing of dunes, fast crossing of dunes, with a little bit of off-piste sometimes and then sometimes sandy tracks. It was difficult. I need the rest day now.” If the 57-year-old Dakar Rally winner and two-time World Rally Champion found it tough with all his skill and experience, it highlights that extreme racing conditions of the Dakar Rally. Showing the most dominant form at this year's Dakar Rally is Bike category racer Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team 2020). After today's dune-covered, high-speed sand fest, Brabec not only held onto his overall lead but has extended it and stamped his authority on the category. The American moto-rider has dealt with strong opposition from Australian Toby Price (Red Bull Factory Team), Jose Cornejo (Monster Energy Honda Team 2020) and Kevin Benavides (Monster Energy Honda Team 2020). It was towards the end of the long stage that drama unfolded: Price and Kevin Benavides stopped. Price was on the move within a handful number of minutes, but Benavides lost three-and-a-half hours to Brabec on this stage. That result dropped him from third place overall to 28th. Andrey Karginov (Kamaz-Master)The general classifications sees Brabec leading a committed Pablo Quintanilla (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) by nearly 21 minutes; Price by 25min 39sec from Cornejo just two seconds further back, and Jose Barreda Bort (Monster Energy Honda Team 2020) at 32min 58sec. Has the KTM stranglehold of recent editions come to an end with Honda's superior performance in the first half of the Dakar? The Trucks haven't been traveling slowly over the deserts of Saudi Arabia this week; the fastest of them all thus far is Andrey Karginov. The Russian claimed the stage victory from his Kamaz-Master team-mate and rival Anton Shibalov and the MAZ-SportAuto of Siarhei Viazovich, putting further time between himself and the chasing field. Karginov now leads the general standings with Shibalov 19min 14sec behind and 36min 30sec over Viazovich. This is a three-way battle for the overall win.
Threats of world war three notwithstanding, the House of Saud have provided the world, a fine venue for five years of racing!
7* 12/01 - Riyadh Stage
*Portuguese rider Paulo Gonçalves passed away
January 12 th 2020 - 10:36 [GMT + 3]
Paulo Gonçalves, racing on motorbike no. 8, has passed away from a fall sustained 276 kilometres into today's special. The organisers received an alert at 10:08 and dispatched a medical helicopter that reached the biker at 10:16 and found him unconscious after going into cardiac arrest. Following resuscitation efforts in situ, the competitor was taken by helicopter to Layla Hospital, where he was sadly pronounced dead.40-year-old Paulo Gonçalves was taking part in his 13th Dakar. He made his debut in 2006 and had finished four di times in the top 10, including an impressive performance as runner-up to Marc Coma in 2015. Paulo Gonçalves, the 2013 cross-country rallies world champion, was sitting in 46th place overall after stage 6 of the 2020 Dakar.The entire Dakar caravan would like to extend its sincere condolences to his friends and family.
*"Toby Price has finished stage 7 in a time 1 h and 23 slower than Barreda's. However, the Australian spent a long time trying to help Paulo Gonçalves, so his actual position will be calculated later today, as will Štefan Svitko's."*
Confirmation that Price and Svitko stayed with Paulo.
Friendship, Fellowship & Brotherhood.
The original stage brief:
""Riyadh > Wadi Al-Dawasir, 741 km - SS: 546 km.
The resumption will be the opposite of a rest day… the longest stage in the Dakar and also one of the most varied. Dunes are scattered along the entire route and the drivers will have to cross small dune fields of a few kilometres. Between these climbing portions, off-road alternates with sectors with numerous crossings where the navigators will have to be on their toes at all times.
"Fast… but not too fast!""
Since 1979, 71 people are known to have died as a result of the Dakar rally. Among the 29 competitor fatalities, 20 were motorcycle related, 6 car related, 1 truck related, and 2 competitors died as a result of local rebel conflict. Up to 1992, collision was the most common cause of death among competitors.
A speed limitation of 150km/h will be implemented at the FIM World Championship (to which Dakar will be a round of from 2021) starting this year.
8* 13/01 - Wadi Al-Dawasir Stage
*STAGE 8
*Mathieu Serradori's stage triumph today with Century CR6 is the first amateur driver to beat the professional drivers and teams in 32 years!
Mathieu is first and foremost the manager of a company specialized in electricity, who spends his holidays on the Dakar.
Century CR6 is also the first private manufacturer to win a stage on Dakar since 2015 when Robby Gordon won one stage, with his Fantastic 'Gordini' creation.*
*STAGE 8 HIGHLIGHTED
*Mathieu Serradori's stage triumph today with Century CR6 is the first amateur driver to beat the professional drivers and teams in 32 years. Mathieu is first and foremost the manager of a company specialized in electricity, who spends his holidays on the Dakar.
Century CR6 is also the first private manufacturer to win a stage on Dakar since 2015 when Robby Gordon won one stage, with his Fantastic 'Gordini' creation.
*SAINZ RETAINS OVERALL
January 13th- 2020 - 14:02 [GMT + 3] In the absence of the bikes opening the way following the cancellation of their stage in homage to Paulo Gonçalves, the usual leading lights of the car category had a difficult time with navigation. This allowed new names to come to the front in the classification of the stage, which was won by a devilishly fast amateur driver, Mathieu Serradori.
'Wadi', 'valley/canyon/' in Arabic, is a fairly good way to describe the stage in which the cars, SSVs and trucks took part today. The crews did not get to see much relief, apart from around one hundred kilometers on the Wajid plateau where several impressive canyons provided variation from the pleasure of driving among the dunes. Indeed, for most of the stage, all that changed was the shades of the sand for the competitors on the Dakar: ochre, orange, mustard yellow or light beige depending on their position in relation to the sun. Following a fast, straight portion over the first fifty kilometers, they had to overcome a sequence of small chains of dunes before reaching the finishing line. In this domain, the usual specialists were not troubled. Although he got stuck in the sand in the first kilometers of yesterday’s special, Mathieu Serradori gave a perfect reaction on stage 8 with a genuine demonstration. The former biker took advantage of the tracks made by Carlos Sainz, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Stéphane Peterhansel, who lost time navigating, to put in a perfect performance and taste victory 4 minutes ahead of surely a future grandee in the category: Fernando Alonso.
Mitchell Guthrie is also probably the future of the SSV discipline, but the 50-hour penalty applied for recovering the engine of Cyril Despres means that he is deprived of a second stage victory. Reinaldo Varela therefore won in Wadi Al-Dawasir, whilst Chaleco López had plenty to cheer about in the general standings by making up half the time between himself and rally leader Casey Currie. In the truck race, the general standings are still dominated by Andrey Karginov, thanks to the third successive stage victory of the Kamaz driver who is head and shoulders above his rivals in Saudi Arabia.
With second place in Wadi Al-Dawasir despite a puncture, Fernando Alonso has obtained his best result on the Dakar after 8 stages. The two-time Formula 1 World Champion has adapted quickly to his new discipline, much like he did in endurance racing with two victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours race and the title of World Champion in the category. Rally-raids are, nevertheless, a completely different matter, though one increasingly more appreciated by the Spaniard, who may not have to wait too long before picking up his first taste of success on the Dakar. And what about becoming a pretender for the title in the years to come?
Following second place overall last year for his first participation in the SSV race after 11 Dakar rallies on a bike, Gerard Farrés had high hopes for the first Dakar in Saudi Arabia. However, the rally soon became difficult for the Spanish driver, who found himself out of the reckoning for the general standings despite two fine stage victories. The 400 kilometers of the day’s special threw another spanner in the works of his rally, following a crash with another competitor which pushed him even further down in the classification. Farrés will have to console himself with the top two places in the general standings occupied by his South Racing team-mates.
Mathieu Serradori, the winner of the stage in the car race, is first and foremost the manager of a company specialized in electricity, who spends his holidays on the Dakar. He is the first amateur driver to beat the professional drivers and teams in 32 years.
The last competitor to achieve a similar feat was Belgian garage owner Guy Deladrière, who achieved the best time in Senegal on the penultimate special on the Dakar 1988. Mathieu Serradori said today: “I’m absolutely delighted. It’s a wonderful story. Yesterday’s stage was very complicated – we made a mistake and paid a heavy price. This morning, we pulled our socks up and left everyone behind us. I’d like to dedicate this victory to Paulo because I’m a former biker. It’s not easy to get motivated after a day like that and my co-pilot Fabien was there as well. But there are two fighters in the car and I’m very happy with this result”.
9* 14/01 - Haradh Stage
*STAGE 9
MOTOS RESULTS
1. Quintanilla
2. Price +1’54”
3. BangBang +2’42”
*American Ricky Brabec continues leading Dakar 2020 Saudi Arabian Event OVERALL*
CARS RESULTS
1. Peterhansel
2. Al-Attiyah +0’15”
3. Przygonski +6’23”
*Carlos Sainz leading OVERALL in the Cars category*
>>>EDITORS NOTES>>>
The Last Three Stages of this Rally-Event have been retained in their entirety; Course changes and navigational charting errors by the ASO, mandated keeping these maps available online!
10* 15/01 - Marathon Stage
Haradh > Shubaytah, 608 km - SS: 534 km.
The marathon stage demands the ultimate quality in rally racing: endurance. The special in the first part sends the drivers and crews out into the vast off-road expanses of the Empty Quarter. It’s not a place where you should linger, as the route for the last 30 kilometres goes right through the dunes. And night falls in a flash! On arrival, only assistance between the competitors is authorized.
**VIDEOS**
**RESULTS**
***MARATHON SPECIAL STAGE STOPPED! HIGH WINDS GROUND HELOS AND END STAGE TODAY***
STAGE 10 Saudi Arabia
CARS RESULTS
1. Sainz
2. Przygonski +3’05”
3. Giniel +4’26”
CARS OVERALL
El Matador Carlos Sainz Leading
MOTOS RESULTS
1. BangBang
2. Brabec +1’07”
3. Benavides +2’31”
MOTOS OVERALL
USA Ricky Brabec Leading
with only two stages until finish
The Dakar is over for Mauricio Javier Gómez. The Argentinean has fallen after 60 km of the day’s special and fractured his femur. The medical team are transporting him to hospital.
**The DAKAR 2020 LIVE ! Storyline after Stage 10**
No USA (American) competitor has ever had an overall win at Dakar. If Ricky Brabec (HONDA) or Casey Currie (SSV) take the overall in their category, history will have been made. At the moment, with Ricky's 25 minute lead and Casey's 46 minute lead, there is a fair chance they BOTH could take an overall win.
Honda have always had the outright speed in their bike/s - look how many stages JBB has won over the years - but what they've never had until now is a cohesive strategy in the same way as the KTM factory have had. Bringing Ruben and Helder on board as competitor 'liaison' I think has finally paid dividends - both of these ex-riders were excellent strategists - We don't mean out on the pieste each day (other than being able to control themselves in a way JBB seeming couldn't up until this year), but with a focus on the overall result - that is managing themselves and bike for a complete two-week period. Helder particularly for a good number of editions was effectively a solo rider with a minimalist support crew, and yet was still able to podium against the huge resources of the KTM factory. From what little We've been following the proceedings this year, it appears that they are letting each rider play to their strengths, rather than dictate a strict hierarchy (ie. that B must support A etc.) - much as the current KTM crew have been doing in allowing their riders to set their own pace, and then adapt the order and overall strategy as the event unfolds...Certainly it seems Ricky Brabec has got everything dialled in this year - he's confident with the new road-book format, and seems very comfortable in this kind of open desert terrain - it appears to me they (Honda) are letting him dictate his own race, rather than hampering him with any pecking order - and indeed, I feel that HRC have finally realised it is not worth stacking all your chips on JBB each year, with the inevitable [lack of] result. We also think JBB has matured - not that he wasn't already an exceptional moto pilot, rather with the pressure off him to be their #1 rider, he can also ride a more calculated race and not feel he's failing anyone...There is still a way to go of course, but we really do hope to see Honda (and that inevitably means Ricky Brabec this edition) on the top step this year, and we would love JBB to be on the podium too - he deserves it for all his hard work over the years, and the fact he seems to have listened to other riders who know how to podium in Dakar.
Barreda takes the stage and Sainz takes off! January 15 th 2020 - 16:17 [GMT + 3] Although Joan Barreda grabbed his first victory in this year’s rally on completion of a shortened stage in Shubaytah, the Spaniard must feel hopeless to thwart the supremacy of his team-mate Ricky Brabec, who again increased his lead in the general standings. In the car category, on the evening of the marathon stage, the race hierarchy is more distinctly dominated by Carlos Sainz again, following the navigational mishaps of Nasser Al-Attiyah and Stéphane Peterhansel.The essentialsHas Joan Barreda taken too much time to hit top pace? The Spaniard won his first special of the year after several good stages in previous days and could pay for his over-cautious first week of the rally. This is in stark contrast with his Honda team-mate Ricky Brabec, who was quick to build up a healthy lead over the pack, which he continues to maintain stage after stage. The same attitude was adopted to date by Ignacio Casale before the Chilean’s navigational failure on stage ten, which cost him a considerable portion of his lead over Simon Vitse, leaving the spotlight to Polish rider Kamil Wiśniewski, who won the day’s special. Carlos Sainz scored a double whammy by winning the stage and especially taking advantage of the navigation mistakes made by Stéphane Peterhansel and Nasser Al-Attiyah, to regain breathing space in the general standings. With a lead that now stands at 18 minutes, El Matador will be able to see his rivals coming. This is also the case for Casey Currie, who moved further ahead in the general standings following the difficulties of Chaleco López, with the stage victory going to rookie and Dakar Experience competitor Mitchell Guthrie. In the truck race, Anton Shibalov brought a halt to the series of wins by his Kamaz team-mate Andrey Karginov, without worrying the Russian who is heading for his second triumph on the Dakar.Performance of the dayFollowing the splendid stage victory achieved by Mathieu Serradori on Monday, another French amateur hogged the limelight on the way to Shubaytah thanks to the fine fourth place obtained by Pierre Lachaume. It should be pointed out that the boss of the Sport 2000 chain of shops is starting to get to know his Peugeot 2008 DKR very well and that he learned the ropes with the best when he was part of the same PH Sport team as Sébastien Loeb on the last Dakar in Peru. Today, this has allowed him to fulfil his initial goal of entering the top 10 in the general standings, just two days from the finish.A crushing blowChaleco López was still in the reckoning to defend his title with second place in the SSV general standings this morning, twenty-some minutes behind Casey Currie. However, he has perhaps lost all hope following greater complications than expected when changing a wheel after a puncture at the start of the special. The Chilean lost almost one hour to the stage winner and drops down a place in the general standings. Yet, the main problem is particularly the gap that now separates him from the American rally leader two days from the end of the race: 1 hour and 15 minutes.Stat of the dayWith 7 different nationalities riding the first 10 bikes to finish the day’s special, the Dakar is more cosmopolitan than ever. The top ten contained an American, two Chileans, a Spaniard, an Australian, an Austrian, two Argentineans and a Slovak, though not necessarily in that order. There are no French riders in this list and if the situation continues, it will be the first time in the rally’s history that the founding country will not be represented in motorcycling’s elite. However, Adrien Metge, in 12th position, twenty minutes behind the 10th placed Svitko, could still creep into the top 10...Quote of the dayStéphane Peterhansel: “Today was not a really good day for us. We started first this morning and we got lost just twenty kilometres before the end of the stage. We turned around 8 or 10 minutes before we found the right track. Nasser lost a little bit more, but Carlos and some other drivers were really lucky because they arrived just when we found the right way and then for them it was easy to follow us. At the end, we finished together. I think that it was really good because Carlos has been leading since the beginning, he is really fast and now he has a gap over Nasser. For the victory for the team it’s more comfortable, for sure”.
BajaRacingNews.com
11* 16/01 - ‘‘Empty Quarter’’ Stage
SPECIAL ADJUSTED! NEW COURSE MAPPING
Shubaytah > Haradh, 744 km - SS: 379 km.
Keep your eyes peeled as the day begins with a spectacle that lasts for 80 kilometres: the finest dunes of the country. Over such a distance, the risk of lingering too long on a mound of sand to take in the sights is real. The competitors will then follow in the footsteps of the first black gold prospectors who explored the region. The marathon stage comes to a close.
***STAGE 11 RESULTS***
CARS; Today
1. Peterhansel
2. Al-Attiyah +0’10”
3. Sainz +8’03”
Carlos Sainz will take the
DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Cars Overall
Friday, January 17, 2020
MOTOS; Today
1. Quintanilla
2. Walkner +0’09”
3. Benavides +2’48”
Ricky Brabec will take the
DAKAR 2020 LIVE! OVERALL
Friday, January 17, 2020
12* 17/01 - Qiddiyah Stage
Haradh > Qiddiyah, 447 km - SS: 374 km.
Composure will be a trusted ally on this final stage, where the positions at the top of the classification can still change. The last hundred kilometres will give the navigators just as many headaches as in the previous week.
Event Coverage UPDATE: January 17, 2019
Baja Safari Trophy
*Extreme E’s Electric SUV; ODYSSEY 21
Congrats Carlos!
*Sainz Wins Cars
2. Nasser Al-Attiyah
3. S. Peterhansel
1. Al-Attiyah Stage; 12 Win
2. Saidan +1’32”
3. Terranova +3’16”
Congrats Ricky!
*Brabec Wins Motos!
2. Pablo Quintanilla
3. Toby Price
1. Nacho Cornejo; Stage 12 Win
2. Ricky Brabec Racing +53”
3. Toby Price Racing +2’25”
*Karginov Wins Trucks
*Casale Wins Quads
*CAN-AM Currie Wins SSV
***Qiddiya Grand Prix***
*CARS; Nasser Al-Attiyah
*MOTOS; Toby Price
*TRUCKS; Anton Chivalov
*QUADS; Rafael Sonic
*SSV; CAN-AM Casey Currie
***MOTUL SPORTSMAN MOTOS***
Emanuel Gyenes
**Stage 12 Notes**
*09:46 Link route and Qiddiya Grand Prix! The first bikers have entered the 120 km link route leading to the start of the Qiddiya Grand Prix, a 13 km timed sector reserved to competitors still in the race (i.e. not competing under Dakar Experience rules). The results do not count towards the classification of the Dakar, but tackling the Grand Prix is a requirement for anyone who wants to be on the final podium!
**LAST STAGE START; 1ST BIKE OFF THE LINE [GMT +3] 07:25AM (Saudi Local time)TIMING IS LIVE! LAST STAGE! LAST STAGE**
>>>UPDATING>>>
*STAGE 12; Liaison > 262 km - Special > 167 km*
Changed From: "Link > 73 km – Special > 374 km – Total > 447 km"
"The final stage of the Dakar Rally on Friday will be shortened due to the construction of gas pipelines in the planned route. Stage 12, the final events in the DAKAR 2020 LIVE! showgram, which was originally scheduled to be a 374km test to wrap up the event, will now be reduced to 166km".
CLICK HERE FOR THE EXACT LOCALE OF THE FINISH CEREMONIES OF DAKAR 2020 LIVE!
*The Qiddiya Grand Prix on January 17 –
The final 20 kilometers Special Stage that wraps up the incredible LIVE! DAKAR 2020 – An entire field of e-competitors of electric and hybrid cars, motorbikes and trucks compete
to determine the winner of the
"Baja Safari Qiddiya Trophy!"
*DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Event Finish 1-17-2020 QIDDIYA*
Qiddiya Grand Prix featured in last leg of DAKAR 2020
Saudi Dakar to feature in last leg of Saudi Dakar Riyadh, KSA.
Qiddiya will host a special final stage race – the Qiddiya Grand Prix – as part of the last day of Saudi Dakar 2020. The Kingdom’s future capital of Entertainment, Sports and the Arts will be the venue for a final 20km battle for the drivers who manage to finish the main rally.
Baja Safari Qiddiya Trophy will go to the fastest eRacer!
Five trophies, one for each category of Saudi Dakar, will be awarded to the drivers who complete the race around the Qiddiya site in the best time. Qiddiya’s CEO, Mike Reininger commented, “Not only are we proud to host the podium celebrations for this world-renowned rally, but to have a special Qiddiya Grand Prix Trophy as part of this final day is unique and cements our commitment to being part of the Kingdom’s motorsport ecosystem. For us, the Rally Dakar is just the beginning as we start to create the Motorsports capital of the world at Qiddiya. Earlier, we released the Dakar anthem, “Million Miles”, sung by Hamza Hawsawi – X Factor MENA winner – in celebration of the Rally. It embodies inspiration as well as characteristics that are important to both the Rally and Qiddiya.”
The final day, stage 12, of the world’s toughest endurance race will see the rally drivers cross the rough terrain, from Haradh towards the Qiddiya site, with the last 100km pushing navigators to their limits as they conclude their 7,500km journey.
The podium ceremony for the 2020 Rally and for the Qiddiya Grand Prix will be held in front of Qiddiya’s iconic cliff. Spectators will then be treated to a spectacular show where Hawsawi will perform his new single live as part of the spectacular finale concert filled with surprises and special guest artists that promises to wrap up the inaugural Saudi Dakar Rally and Qiddiya’s hosting participation in grand style. “Million Miles” is all about drive and determination, and aims to inspire people to take initiative, reach for the stars and achieve their dreams, just like the drivers participating in Dakar 2020. The lyrics are about creating a legacy and having a story to tell years from now.
Qiddiya Investment Company
###
DAKAR SAUDI ARABIA LIVE RESOURCES
DAKAR 2020 Malle Moto List
"Baja Safari Qiddiya Trophy!"
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE PRE-GREEN FLAG NEWS>>>THE CONTINUED COVERAGE
January 4-18, 2020 - Opening ceremonies LIVE! from Jeddah, Saturday, January 4,
here at BajaRacingNews.com
Dates and opening hours:
Thursday 2 January: 4 pm–12 am
Friday 3 January: 4 pm – 12 am
Saturday 4 January: 3 pm – 12 am | Dakar Podium: 4 pm - 10 am.
Location:
North Corniche
Free entry
DAKAR VILLAGE JEDDAH
- The podium in the heart of the village with the passing and presentation of all the Dakar competitors will go on for 3 days (Car, Bike, Truck, Quad, Side by Side)
- The 6,000m² site is built for fostering encounters between the rally participants and the public. The Dakar Village is a great occasion for visitors to attend autograph sessions with the competitors, demonstrations and various activities designed to get the spectators into the race in their own way.
- The ""Parc Fermé"" bringing together all of the vehicles of the Dakar competitors
- A giant screen with the airing of the best images of the Dakar
- Dakar Museum where cars from the Dakar’s past and future will be on display
- Food Court
- At night, the Dakar Village will transform into an open-air theatre for a spectacular show featuring Saudi rider Shadi Al Daheri.
1/ Discover the Dakar
- Dakar museum
- Dakar Slot Car racing
- Virtual reality, to feel like a Dakar pilot!
- A place to discover the future vehicles of the Dakar
- The Dakar Garage: Show room for Dakar partners to become a mechanician of an official Dakar Team
- A pedal car track for children races!
- Car Wash Shop
- Mecanic and Gas Shop
- Playpen
- Photobooth
- The Dakar Village will also be a place for Motorsport shows
- Stunt Shows
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE PRE-GREEN FLAG NEWS>>>THE CONTINUED COVERAGE
DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Continues...
Event Coverage UPDATE: Dec. 30, 2019
DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Continues...
Event Coverage UPDATE: Dec. 28, 2019
Direction Jeddah... This fishing village dating back to the 7th Century has become one of the busiest ports in the world, as well as the gateway for pilgrims to the holy places of Mecca and Medina. This coming January 5th, the second largest city in the country will be the starting point of the Dakar and will more importantly signify the immediate entry into the difficulties of the rally. The first third of the rally will test the navigation skills of the riders and crews. The direction choices will be made more complicated by the multitude of tracks. Near the Red Sea or the Jordanian border for the stages around Neom then towards Al Ula, it will be the navigators who will lead the way. With more and more sand, the course will pose major challenges in the dunes between Ha’il and the capital Riyadh, where there will be a rest day. The rally will continue and intensify with the discovery and exploration of the vast “Empty Quarter” desertic portion of the Saudi territory where the all-important Shubaytah and Haradh stages will be contested. But the general classification will not necessarily be set in stone heading into the final Qiddiyah stage, where navigation could catch out even the best.Dakar 2020 Rally preparations continue now in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
RACE UPDATE!
DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Arrives At Jeddah Port at Saudi Arabia
DAKAR 2020 - Regulations UPDATE!
Given the size and nature of the Saudi landscape, the 2020 DAKAR returns to its extreme roots in terms of endurance, with 5 specials which cover more than 450 kms. out of 12 specials.
To rise to this challenge, a series of measures aim to level the playing field between professional teams and amateurs. Sporting equity in favour of strategy and race management is the heart of rally raid.
ROAD BOOK 2020 UPDATE! January 10, 2020
The number of tracks in Saudi Arabia and changes in the road book make navigation difficult in 2020
When one takes a walk through the streets of the Dakar Rally bivouac, where small communities of cars, motorcycles and pilots are installed, all collected by the shadow of their huge assistance trucks, with tents and caravans scattered everywhere, warns a change. It seems that many years have passed since those afternoons in which motorcycle riders swirled around a table, to study and prepare the roadbook, that book that marks the route and warns of the dangers that will be found in the race. That book that competitors underlined and in which they wrote down notices that could help them to guide themselves well and better manage the race. It seems that those images, late at night, of the co-pilots alone and focused on deciphering the secrets of the next stage have become obsolete. Hours spent to work on the orders they should give their pilots.Today evenings and nights are time for shower, dinner and rest. You no longer have to prepare the road book, because it is already prepared by the organization. Of course, in addition to this novelty, this year has added an extraordinary difficulty: in some of the stages the organization delivers the road book to the participants just before going out to the special.
That is why and due to the natural scenario conditions that this Dakar 2020 hosts - with many parallel tracks that make it difficult to choose the correct step and interpretation of the road book - the Rally in Saudi Arabia is being, more than ever, the Dakar of The co-pilots Co-drivers who are delighted with the change, even those days that have received the road book the same morning of the race. "So you have more time to rest in the afternoon and, in addition, there are no suspicions that there is extra information for some", says Lucas Cruz, the co-pilot who has received so many compliments from Carlos Sainz in recent days for his great work in reading of the career. Your Mini is the leader of the general.In those stages in which they receive the road book in the morning, the co-drivers (such as motorcycle riders) have 15 minutes between the time control and the departure to review the stage they are going to play. “It's 15 minutes to prepare, with the helmet on and: three, two, one and you go out”, says Cruz. “Normally we had five minutes, now we have ten extra to look at the roadbook. During the briefing - the informative session that the race director offers the day before, at 8:00 p.m. - they already give us some indications, they warn us of five or six boxes that may be more difficult, so that we can take a look ”, says Alex Haro, co-driver of Giniel de Villiers (Toyota).
Until last year, preparing the road book was a ritual. Each had its colored markers to underline or point out the dangers. Each one had his technique. Now that vital document to complete the race is no longer personalized. But none complains. “Part of the preparation we had to do is that I find myself comfortable with this roadbook and that is what I did. I tried to reproduce the conditions that I would find in competition, but I suppose that is what everyone has done”, says Marc Coma, new to singing orders. He gives them to Fernando Alonso (Toyota). It is not new to the task of reading the road book. Not in vain he won five Dakar on a motorcycle.
"This change began to be forged in February or March of last year, we began to hear rumors and even the co-pilots had a meeting with the FIA to unify criteria, we gave them some ideas and together we decided on this color criteria", explains Haro. He has since started preparing his own roadbooks with that new and colorful interpretation.The new system reduces differences with the most powerful teams and allows participants to save themselves from working with the mapman, as they did so far. The mapman are cartography specialists capable of drawing the entire path that the race will make with the roadbook and with Google Earth. “They offer you very elaborate information that helps you locate yourself. You can predict what will come after a mountain or what terrain you will find”, explains Coma. Much more behind are the days of the Dakar in Africa "in which teams like Peugeot or Citröen bought cartography or satellite photos to the Russians and studied the ideal line", he recalls.
The road book: now in color!
According to an intuitive and widely shared code, the symbols in the road book boxes will be printed in color. This will significantly reduce preparatory work for the following stage, especially for amateur drivers joining the bivouac late, enabling them to focus more on the recovery and maintenance of their vehicles.
For at least four stages, the road book will be distributed in the morning at the start of the special stage: the closest thing to absolute equality.
Matthias Walkner had a problem
An example of today's roadbook challenges, KTM's Matthias Walkner. If you want to survive the iconic Dakar Rally, the infamous roadbook is your best friend. Here's how to decipher this mystifying manual – just be thankful you don’t have to figure it out at 140kph.
Argentina, day 10 of the 2018 Dakar Rally. A group of six motorbikes is flying through the desert, a sandy plain, criss-crossed by faint, dried-up riverbeds. One member of our group feels uncomfortable. Pro rally biker Matthias Walkner has a problem: The others are going too fast. He wonders how the hell could they be navigating correctly and processing tons of information accurately without slowing down from speeds topping 140kph? The Austrian racer eases off the throttle and falls behind.
A Dakar Rally rider in Peru, 2019. It’s a principle that KTM team boss and navigation expert Jordi Viladoms instilled in him when he made the transition from motocross to rally, one that he would never betray under any circumstances. It’s law in Walkner’s head now: Never, ever just follow someone else’s tracks. Always navigate yourself!
Roadbook entry no. 349 for that day finally came. Walkner explains: “The kilometers in the road-book didn’t line up perfectly with the odometer and in situations like that, your feelings or instincts or whatever you want to call it come into play. The tracks ahead of me led into a sandy crater but the roadbook indicated that I should keep to the right. But was that the right spot in this maze? Walkner must process hundreds of roadbook entries faultlessly each day.
Marcin Kin: "Presumably both RFOs [rules for organisers] would realign soon anyway, I thought, and so I kept to the right just in case. All tracks disappeared over the next few kilometres. Was I right or wrong? I didn’t know. Nor was the compass bearing that much use. From kilometre 350 to 368, the next spot for which there was any info in the roadbook, I had an eternity to mull over whether I had been the idiot or if I was the only one who’d gone the right way.” Now rally raid fans know how that played out. Walkner was right, gaining 50 meaningful minutes that day and going on to win the Dakar Rally. An odometer and compass; the race roadbook; and the organizer’s GPS. An odometer and compass; the race roadbook; and the organizer’s GPS.
Doing the Dakar on a motorbike is as much of a mental challenge as it is physical. All the riders have is a scroll of paper with instructions on it. A racer will only make it to the finish line if he or she can follow them to the letter.
Here’s a summary of how it works. The left-hand column of each entry shows distances, both absolute and in relation to the last point of reference. But since the riders rarely get to go in a perfectly straight line, they constantly have to recalibrate their odometers. The central column has pictograms that depict the terrain and the route as well as the compass bearing. To understand these sections, the riders must memorise a special alphabet composed of more than 100 pictograms. The right-hand column has verbal prompts where applicable, but just so that things don’t seem too straightforward, they’re abbreviations of French words.
Below you will find an example of instructions from a Dakar Rally roadbook, provided by the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), featuring five sections running from top to bottom.
Below this, OFF-ROAD LIVE! has decoded each section.
A section of the Dakar Rally roadbook.
*At kilometer 17.78, 530m since the last entry, look out for hidden checkpoint C [which would bring at least a 15-minute penalty if missed]. Caution! Potential danger area when you take a left to go offroad and into the dunes. [The text at right – HP DS DN – is an abbreviation of the French phrase hors piste dans dunes.] Compass bearing 268°.
*At kilometre 18.60, 820m since the last entry, you come off Route L3 and take a gentle right into the dunes, where the road comes to an end. Compass bearing 180°, so due south.
*At kilometre 18.94, 340m since the last entry, you have to hit a security checkpoint bang on. Maximum [three-exclamation-mark] alert!!! When you come out of the dunes [‘END DN’], a barely visible ditch is lying in wait on a bad track. [MVS is an abbreviation of the French word mauvais.] Once you’re beyond that, you carry on into a gentle right turn at a bearing of about 80°.
*At kilometre 21.1, 2.16km since the previous entry, you go downhill through dunes interspersed with shrubs and a river that’s 300m wide. Then you have to come off road bearing right into a 50m-wide wadi [a dried-up riverbed, spelled 'oued' in French], compass heading averaging 5°.
*At kilometre 21.33, 230m since the last entry, turn right at the crest of the hill onto a highly visible marked track, alongside of which other tracks run in parallel. [ET P // is roadbook shorthand for et piste parallel – ”and parallel track” in French.]
Rally Raid Roadbook Symbols
"Anyone at the top level of the sport can make a motorbike go fast. The thing that makes the difference is the mental capacity left over for navigation". Jordi Viladoms
The rider’s job isn’t solely to decipher and apply the information faultlessly as they ride; they also needs to have half an eye on the next entry to keep ahead of the game. Viladoms explains: “You can compare it to learning a new language. If you really want to master navigation, you have to practise, practise again and keep on practicing. Anyone at the top level of the sport can make a motorbike go fast. The thing that makes the difference is the mental capacity left over for navigation.”
OFF-ROAD LIVE! EXCLUSIVE©
Required stop point!
Like bikes and quads that already feature a 15-minute break at fuel stops during a special stage, a stop point must now be respected by all categories. This break time is useful in two ways in terms of safety: it imposes time to rest and refocus and also reduces the number of overtakes between UTVs and cars for example.
“Super Marathon Stage”
Only 10 minutes of mechanical repair time will be permitted for bikes and quads upon arrival at the Neom bivouac! Strategy and race management issues, particularly tyre wear, will be even trickier than usual. Another more conventional marathon stage, with assistance only authorized between competitors, will be organised in Shubaytah.
Wild card!
If forced to retire (except for medical reasons), a crew or a driver may be allowed to resume the race by participating in a separate ranking called “Dakar Experience” for the rest of the rally. This second chance will allow unlucky amateurs to keep learning and return with more cards up their sleeve to complete the rally in the future. Competitors on the Elite List are excluded.
New SSV rules!
In accordance with FIA regulations, there will be a single T3 category for lightweight buggies (< 900 kg) with an engine size less than 1,000 cc. They will be divided into two classes: T3.S (in production) limited to 120 km/h and T3.P (prototypes) limited to 130 km/h, all equipped with a restrictor to even the playing field in terms of performance.
T4.3s on track!
Category T4.3 support trucks will be required to rejoin the special stage route at the point where they left it if they have gone off course to provide assistance. Assistance cannot be given to a vehicle that has not completed the entire route.
CLICK HERE FOR THE ASO GUIDE TO
SAUDI ARABIA
Home to 3.5 million people, the second-largest city in the country is also its economic heart thanks to its commercial port on the Red Sea, which goes back to the 7th century. Just for once, the gateway to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina will also be a launch pad for the drivers, riders and crews of the Dakar 2020.
King Fahd’s Fountain, which ejects water at a speed of 375 km/h, and Jeddah Tower, which will soon reach a height of 1,001 m, will inspire the competitors with grandiose ideas and a burning ambition.
ASO Announces and Engages Competition Changes
The organizers of the Dakar Rally have taken measures to crack down on illegal navigational aids and practices ahead of the 2020 edition of the rally-raid marathon.
The initiative, spearheaded by new rally director David Castera, comes as a result of continued suspicions that teams have been able to circumvent the regulations in the last few editions of the marathon through the use of various technologies and tools.
BajaRacingNews.com has learned that, in a an unprecedented measure, the top 25 cars in the first Saudi Arabia-based edition of the event will have two video cameras installed in their cockpits. The cameras will record each stage to monitor whether any competitors are using prohibited electronic devices or other ways of easing the navigational challenge.
Teams are specifically forbidden from using radio transmitters and receivers, satellite links and data transmission systems unless they have been provided by the organiser or otherwise specifically authorized. The cameras for monitoring will be powered by the car's batteries and have been tested by Castera and his team in the last few months.
Also, article 28P1.3 of the regulations for the Cars/Trucks/SxS classes now mandates that the 10 leading crews "must hand in their mobile phones" to be placed in a box, which will be sealed by a marshal at the start of the day's running and can only be unsealed upon arrival to the end of the stage.
"We have worked much more at controlling all the information that we give from Dakar about the route", Castera explained to Baja Racing News LIVE! "We try to keep more things inside [event organiser] ASO because otherwise there's always talk as to who has GPS in the car, who has the route map, and so on. We are going to stop all of these activities".
We'll put cameras inside the cars to verify what they do inside, whether they have GPS, phones, etc. We want to make the race more balanced so that everyone gets an equal chance. While the roadbook for each given day's stage is traditionally delivered to competitors the afternoon of the day before, article 22P4.5d) of the regulations now specifies that "for some legs, roadbooks may be distributed in the morning at the start of the leg".
This will be the case for "at least four" and potentially as many as six of the marathon's 12 stages, to mitigate the advantage the bigger teams can get from satellite analysis of the route. During the 2019 event in Peru, organizers had introduced provisions against competitors adding information to the roadbook or carrying additional notes on their machines or articles of clothing. These rules will remain in place for this year's event. Honda factory rider Kevin Benavides seemingly fell foul of the regulation in last year's event and received a three-hour penalty for carrying additional notes on the bike. Benavides stipulated that the penalty was "not fair" because the supposed infraction took place before the new rule came into force. It was ultimately overturned almost two months after the conclusion of the event, with Benavides reinstated in fifth place in the final classification of the marathon.
DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Continues...
Event Coverage UPDATE: Dec. 27, 2019
UPDATE! January 12, 2020
DAKAR Explains Green Racing Program
UPDATE! #2021 Spotted at STAGE 4
January 8, 2020
FIRST ELECTRIC DAKAR ENTRY 2020
BAJA SAFARI SPONSORED DRIVER
GUERLAIN CHICHERIT DAKAR 2020
DRIVES Extreme E E-SUV at
Dakar Rally-Raid!
Extreme E’s electric SUV, ODYSSEY 21, has been invited to appear at the Dakar Rally 2020 in support of the event’s ongoing commitment to alternative energy solutions, and multi-discipline off-road racer Guerlain Chicherit of the Republic of Mexico's
Baja Safari, will be the man behind the wheel.
The E-SUV, complete with its new desert livery, will be driven by the Mexico company representative Chicherit, during shakedown for the legendary endurance event, and will then be on display on the New Energy stand at the Jeddah Dakar Village between the second and fourth, (2-4) of January.
DAKAR 2020 LIVE
Guerlain Chicherit Baja Safari Driver
Qiddiya Gran Prix Trophy
The car will also open the Qiddya Grand Prix on 17 January – the final 20 kilometre special stage that wraps up the incredible Dakar Rally – alongside the entire field of competitors and a selection of electric and hybrid cars, motorbikes and trucks.
Chicherit’s combination of FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies experience – a series which he won back in 2009 – and ten years competing at the Dakar Rally will serve him well when he belts up inside the ODYSSEY 21, and he can hardly wait. “I’ve always maintained my love for the Dakar Rally. To this day, Dakar has given me some of the best memories, challenges and taught me many lessons, and I am pleased to see the organisers shining a spotlight on alternative energy mobility this year by inviting the ODYSSEY 21 E-SUV and a number of other electric and hybrid vehicles to be part of the 2020 Dakar,” said Chicherit.
“Combining my love for innovation, adventure and the edgy unknown makes this the perfect opportunity with Extreme E and the Dakar Rally. I can’t wait to experience first-hand the development in technology when I get behind the wheel of the ODYSSEY 21 E-SUV and launch this electric solution at what is seen as one of the toughest long-distance races in the world.”
The Frenchman currently lines up in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, and has done since creating and entering his own team, GC KOMPETITION sponsored by Baja Safari of Mexico, into the flagship rallycross series back in 2018.
Prior to campaigning in World RX, the Frenchman was a four-time Freeskiing World Champion, and FIA Junior World Rally Championship entrant.Chicherit has been focusing on electric mobility and developing EV projects over the last couple of years while launching his mobile energy solutions company, GCK Energy, with great success and he sees Extreme E’s drive for innovation and sustainable evolution as a fascinating prospect.
“I’ve invested a lot into sustainable technology and solutions these past few years and Extreme E has decided to challenge what has previously been done in electric motorsport and to push the limits of technology to inspire the future, which really aligns with me and my projects”, added Chicherit.
“I haven’t actually driven the ODYSSEY 21 yet, so doing so for the first time as part of the preparations for the 2020 Dakar was an opportunity I couldn’t miss out on.”
The Extreme E E-SUV’s public unveiling came at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed on July 5, 2019, with Spark Racing Technology – the constructors of Formula E’s Gen 1 and Gen 2 machines – completing the initial build of the prototype just a week earlier.
An intense testing schedule has followed that initial display run, with Official Tyre Partner Continental Tires putting the car and its bespoke rubber through their paces with a comprehensive week-long test programme in the south of France at the Château de Lastours proving ground – a site regularly chosen by Dakar and FIA World Rally Championship entrants aiming to put their machinery through the ringer.
As well as making its appearance at the 2020 Dakar, the E-SUV will be put through a full testing program Saudi Arabia, getting to traverse a range of landscapes and surfaces, from sand dunes to canyons and mountain ranges in what will be a crucial research and development process as the engineers at Spark continue to prepare the car with just over a year to go before Extreme E’s inaugural round, starting January 2021.
Baja Safari
The Extreme E ODYSSEY 21 car will make its first full appearance as part of a motorsport event, joining the final stage of the 2020 Dakar Rally
The Extreme E ODYSSEY 21 car will make its first full appearance as part of a motorsport event, joining the final stage of the 2020 Dakar Rally. Ahead of its inaugural season scheduled for 2021, the XE off-road electric SUV will first participate in the shakedown ahead of January's Dakar Rally, which will take place in Saudi Arabia for the first time in 2020. The XE car will then join the full field of competitors in the last stage - which will take place between Haradh and the Qiddiyah finishing point on January 17.
Alejandro Agag, the CEO of XE, said that the decision to link up with Dakar would help serve as an extended test session to assist the car's development, in preparation for XE's own Saudi desert round. "The Saudi stages will provide a real test", said XE CEO Alejandro Agag, "and a relevant one with the country taking up a berth on our Season 1 calendar". "It will be a unique opportunity for the guys at Spark to gather data and learn about our E-SUV, driven hard and in its 'natural environment' with a little over a year until we get [the XE series] underway".
Dakar Rally director David Castera added that the ODYSSEY 21's appearance would be an opportunity to see how a fully-electric rally-raid car compares to the current internal combustion and hybrid-powered cars. "We are delighted that the Extreme E E-SUV will be accompanying us throughout the forthcoming Dakar", Castera said.
It represents a real-world opportunity to promote the new technology that Extreme E embraces, and this kind of initiative is entirely in keeping with the mood of the times and the course of history.
"We have begun to encourage the participation of hybrid and electric vehicles on the Dakar, with the mid-term objective of introducing a specific class for them".
"Extreme E's presence in January's event convinces us that we are heading in the right direction with this project, and inspires us to go even further and faster in its implementation. Dakar's 2020 event begins on January 5 in Jeddah, heading north along the coast of the Red Sea before moving inland".
Baja Safari
DAKAR 2020 LIVE!
Event Coverage UPDATE: Dec. 19, 2019
Dakar 2020: Jail and death penalty for pilots for hugging, drinking alcohol or using drugs!
UPDATED! December 23, 2019
INSIDER NEWS: Andrea Peterhansel not participating at Saudi DAKAR because of threats to the couples relationship. A cover story was put out by the team which went like this:
"Stephane Peterhansel will not contest next month's Dakar Rally with his wife Andrea as his co-driver after the German was forced to drop out with health issues.Peterhansel won this year's FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies with Andrea alongside him, the husband-and-wife duo claiming victory in April's Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge before taking further podiums in Kazakhstan and Morocco.However, Andrea - a former top-five Dakar finisher in her own right - did not take part in last month's Riyadh Rally in Saudi Arabia after failing an unspecified medical check.Now Peterhansel's X-raid Mini team has revealed that she has not been cleared by doctors to take part in the Dakar, which begins in Jeddah on January 5. Her place will be taken by the Portuguese navigator Paulo Fiuza, who helped Peterhansel to a second-place finish in Riyadh."We tried and hoped until almost the last minute, but unfortunately Andrea cannot compete in the 2020 Dakar," commented X-raid team boss Sven Quandt."She and Stephane had a great season and could certainly have been among the front runners in Saudi Arabia, but health comes first."But we're also sure that Paulo will do a very good job. He and Stephane worked well together at the Riyadh Rally."The sister factory Mini JCW Buggy will be driven by Carlos Sainz Sr, who is aiming for a third Dakar triumph in his second outing with the X-raid team." UPDATE END
The route of what will be the 42nd edition of the Dakar was presented at the Institute of the Arab World in Paris, whose departure will take place in Jeddah on January 5, 2020, and then give way to 12 stages with a final goal in Qiddiyah, near Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Motorcycle, car, truck, quads and SSV riders will have to face 7,900 kilometers of which a total of 5,000 will be dedicated to specials.
The change of scenery that the Dakar will live in 2020 has forced ASO, its organizer, to notify the participants about the legal problems they may suffer if they include the Sharia law in force in Saudi Arabia. The 'Guide to Good Practices' received by participants in this raid includes several tips to avoid jail time and administrative penalties for such usual things as hugging, showing a tattoo or drinking a beer!
In this way, the Dakar canteen, where the pilots meet at the end of each section, will not serve any alcoholic drinks or pork during the days of competition. The guide also reminds participants that the simple act of bringing certain food from home can be denounced by the authorities of the Arab country, as well as watching pornographic content either in digital or paper format and there is also a specific section for the consumption or possession of any drug, punishable in Saudi Arabia BY DEATH, with the death penalty.
ASO recommends that participants not demonstrate "expressions of affection" in public, something that will be difficult for any couple in marriage. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , you are forced to present a special visa to sleep together In the same tent.
Women and men will have to take special care at the end of the stages when showing the torso in public; In fact, ASO asked everyone, especially women, to cover their shoulders and knees in public "to avoid offenses and penalties."
BajaRacingNews.com
CLICK HERE FOR THE CONTINUED LIVE! COVERAGE OF THE
DAKAR 2020 Rally-Raid Event
DAKAR 2020 Continued>>>
From OFF-ROAD LIVE !
The Arabian Peninsula, a 'House of Sand' compared with the Baja Peninsula,
an 'Oasis of Stone'
Both are framed by bodies of water. The Arabian by the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Great Indian Ocean. The Baja by the Great Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California).
"The Red Sea", is a commonality of each region, though the Arabian version borders its western coast. The Baja peninsula has its "Red Sea", bordering its eastern coast. The Sea of Cortez or Gulf of California is mysteriously known as "The Red Sea" by various historical sources.
The people of both peninsulas claim to be residents of the "Lands surrounded by Seas".
These residents are well known for their hospitality, kindness and wisdom.
Both are lands of vast deserts. The human traits we've noted are flowers of the sweat, blood and tears these wonderful people have suffered, living across the barren isolation of the 'empty quarter'.
A term often given to the deserts of the earth and the vast portions of whole continents, cursed over the millennia of human life on this third rock from the Sun.
Both the Arabian and Baja peninsulas exist on earth in the Northern Hemisphere.
In world time and atmospheric terms, these peninsulas have similar conditions. Though they are virtually on the opposite sides of the planet!
Commonly known as "Arabia", the Arabian peninsula is the largest peninsula on earth with a land area of 1.25 million mi² (3.2 million km2). Commonly known as "Baja", the Baja peninsula has a land area of 55,360 square miles (143,390 km2).
Within these wide expanses of desert wilderness lives common natural life. The most notable symbol of these shared lands in both regions, are the Boswellia-Bursera trees. These large shrubs, or small trees are famous from the middle east for their product, frankincense.
Frankincense is used in incense, natural medicines, perfumes, and essential oils that can be inhaled or applied to the skin for their purported health benefits. The natural product is one of the oldest commercial commodities, spanning more than 5,000 years. Today, catholic priests use it as incense in thuribles, for religious ceremonies.
During the holidays, clouds and clouds of the aromatic smoke permeate holy places, churches and homes of the devout.
On a starlit night long ago, as the story goes, three wise men brought gifts to baby Jesus in a stable. One was gold, the others frankincense and myrrh. Frankincense, like myrrh, was highly prized—thought to be worth its weight in gold. The trees that yield the fragrant resin are widespread in the lands of the Holy Bible and the Baja peninsula.
Many believe, the existence of this natural manifested life as described herein, presume that these are cherished Holy Lands. Arabia and Baja. Modern Christmas celebrations throughout the globe depend on this product.
The immense desolation of the peninsulas are the settings today, for a discussion of a celebration of life, in these common desert regions.
OFF-ROAD LIVE!
Event Coverage UPDATE: Dec. 14, 2019
DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Racing (Rally-Raid) now only three weeks away!
January 4-18, 2020 - Opening ceremonies LIVE! from Jeddah, Saturday, January 4,
here at BajaRacingNews.com
LIVE ! DAKAR 2020 Continued CLICK HERE!
Event Coverage UPDATE: Dec. 12, 2019
DAKAR shipping vessel Jolly Palladio half way there for Saudi Arabia!
The ASO, the responsible organization of the Dakar desert rally-raid event for 2020 confirmed this week in an official statement that the Jolly Palladio is half way to its destination, the port of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Dakar Rally 2020 has already begun for a large part of the teams and pilots. It is that, since the beginning of December, the European protagonists and part of South Americans have made the technical and administrative verifications so that their vehicles can travel to the Middle East.
The first appointment was at the mythical Paul Ricard circuit in Castellet, France, where much of the dakarian caravan was concentrated to begin with the paperwork. From there, the teams had their first link to the city of Marseille, whose port would host the shipment, contrary to what we had accustomed in recent years, when it was Le Havre, in Normandy, the place where such action was performed.
The Jolly Palladio shone splendidly to begin receiving in its large warehouses hundreds of vehicles stored in cargo containers. Not only competitors' vehicles, but also the organization's official vehicles, assistance trucks and even a fleet of ten helicopters that will serve as support. In total, it was 23 hours of incessant work that the operators of the port of Marseille used to complete the load, after two days of verification, but that's not all. The “Dakar Ship” still has a long journey through the Mediterranean Sea, before reaching the north coast of Africa, precisely in Egypt, to enter the Suez Canal, where it will cross the connection between the Near and Middle East.
The Red Sea and the Saudi port of Jeddah is just the first goal of this global adventure!
LIVE ! DAKAR Continued CLICK HERE!
Baja Racing Friends Enter Dakar 2020
N°519 Ikuo Hanawa / Class: T4.2 : Modified Trucks
The Japanese racer Ikuo Hanawa remembered in Baja racing for his participation in the Baja 1000, is ready for his debut in the Dakar Rally 2020 in Saudi Arabia in the Hino Sugawara team.
They are entered in the truck category, together with his co-pilot Yudai Hanawa and his mechanic Mayumi Kezuka.
Good Luck Friends!
LIVE! DAKAR 2020 Continued>>>
Event Coverage UPDATE: Dec. 6, 2019
Dakar contestants are shipping off from France over the two weeks
France-Technical inspections, event preparations, packaging & shipping are rapidly wrapping here in Europe.
We'll post some of our seafaring media as we get underway.
One very big surprise coming from the Asian continent, our new ride! Thank you Peugeot, for an amazing new level of speed and technology. We'll chase the rally for the next month and a half LIVE!
CLICK HERE PEUGEOT SUV RANGE
LIVE ! Coverage Sponsor
Associated Press
December 4: Dakar 2020 teams are shipping out to the middle east from the very familiar port at France to Saudi Arabia, through the Suez Canal, this week.
For the first time in a decade, the travel trip to the start of the rally won't take a month. Rather, it will take one week, at most.
Considering the travel through the Mediterranean Sea and the canal and ultimately the Red Sea, is a destination on the Arabian peninsula.
The port destination for the start of the rally, is very much like that of the Baja Mexico peninsula. We'll be reporting on how much similiarity there exists between these destinations.
Baja Safari is your Gateway to Adventure!
LIVE! Coverage Sponsor
Event Coverage UPDATE: Dec. 3, 2019
Where is the Finish Line in Saudi Arabia,
What is The Goal?
Our two month long investigative work is focused on Qiddiya, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The ultimate finish line of the DAKAR 2020.
We'll explore the human dynamics and rocky, earthy structures on which Saudi’s 'capital of entertainment, sports and arts', the kingdom wishes to rise.
Is economic development the ULTIMATE GOAL of the House of Saud?
STAY TUNED>>>
Event Coverage Start: December 2, 2019 ; DAKAR 2020
Introducing our coverage of the
"Kingdom Of Sand", DAKAR 2020
The route of the 42nd edition of the ASO/Dakar, which will start in Jeddah on January 5, 2020 and conclude 12 stages later in Qiddiyah near the Saudi capital of Riyadh, begins the third chapter of adventure for the ASO/DAKAR.
With an overall distance close to 7,900km, the competitors will battle over 5,000km of special stages. In addition to discovering the Saudi Arabian dunes, which will be featured in the second-half of the rally, the first-half of the Dakar will take the crews through a labyrinth of tracks where navigation skills will be essential.
The change of continent will come with rule changes aimed to stay true to the founding principles of the rally raid, a discipline that allows amateurs to rub shoulders and sometimes battle with professionals. The new roadbooks and the new marathon stages will help reduce the gaps.
CLICK HERE AND STAY TUNED!>>>
DAKAR 2020 'The Kingdom Of Sand'
The official entry list for the 2020 DAKAR includes 351 vehicles (vs 334 in 2019): 170 bikes and quads, 134 cars and SSVs and 47 trucks. Port of entry Jeddah, This fishing village dating back to the 7th Century has become one of the busiest ports in the world.
On Tuesday, December 3 and Wednesday, December 4, port departures from France, will begin the travel adventure for drivers, teams, equipment and rally vehicles. On Sunday, January 5th, the second largest city in the realm will be the starting point of the 2020 Dakar and will more importantly signify the immediate entry into the difficulties of the rally.
CLICK HERE FOR SOME LIGHT READING...
ASO Provisional Regulations Dakar 2020 Motos
ASO Provisional Regulations Dakar 2020 Cars
DAKAR 2020 LIVE! Webcast Rally Schedule
The first third of the rally will test the navigation skills of the riders and crews. The direction choices will be made more complicated by the multitude of tracks. Near the Red Sea or the Jordanian border for the stages around Neom then towards Al Ula, it will be the navigators who will lead the way. With more and more sand, the course will pose major challenges in the dunes between Ha’il and the capital Riyadh, where there will be a rest day.
The rally will continue and intensify with the discovery and exploration of the vast “Empty Quarter” desertic portion of the Saudi territory where the all-important Shubaytah and Haradh stages will be contested. But the general classification will not necessarily be set in stone heading into the final Qiddiyah stage, where navigation could catch out even the best.
In these unexplored regions of the rally-raid universe, another wrinkle of the 42nd edition also comes from the desire to rebalance the parameters in favour of the less professional entries. New colour-coded roadbooks will be handed out just minutes prior to the start of the timed sector on several stages to precisely deprive the competitors with the biggest teams of a competitive advantage. Similarly, the introduction of a "Super Marathon" stage for motorcycles (only top-pilots) where only 10 minutes of work on the machines will be allowed, making vehicle management crucial, as well as the more traditional marathon stage (imposed on all vehicles) that will conclude the day before the finish.
In order to allow the less experienced to continue their learning process, a “joker” will be granted (in all categories) to competitors forced to retire. They will be permitted to re-join the rally in the “Dakar Experience” classification.
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The Dakar Rally leaves South America to start a new era in the Middle East in 2020 after signing a five-year deal with Saudi Arabia.
Dakar organizer ASO has run the world’s most famous rally raid in South America since 2009, a move brought about by terrorist threats in Mauritania that forced the cancellation of the 2008 event – the last in Africa.
This year’s Dakar was the first to run entirely within one country – Peru – after South American neighbours Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia failed to find agreement with ASO. While one more South American edition was understood to be an option, continued economic uncertainty forced negotiations in the Middle East and South Africa. Former race director Etienne Lavigne outlined the difficulties in January. Lavigne said: “The truth is that we have the pressure to propose a project for 2020 and beyond as soon as possible.“In three or four months, if we don’t know how to recover the desire [for the event], we have to change course – we cannot afford a situation like the last months.”
The first year of a five-year agreement means the rally starts from Riyadh in January, providing the necessary stability for ASO. This year’s Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah says: “We are very happy to have the Dakar in our region. I will be in Saudi Arabia in 30 minutes [from his home in Qatar].“We love South America, the people there, the incredible countries they have, but we have to respect the decisions of the organisers.“ Like when we changed from Africa to South America, we were not happy, we wanted to continue [in Africa], but we quickly adapted to South America.“ Exactly the same thing that will happen with the Middle East, because it is a big market too.”
Some have questioned how the Saudi Arabia will manage the arrival of hundreds of foreigners, having only started issuing tourist visas at the end of 2018, as well as female competitors, team members, organizers and journalists. Al-Attiyah is confident the region will deliver, stating “sport is above politics” with exceptions made to adapt to the presence of the Dakar. The Toyota driver continued: “I did the Cross Country Hail Rally twice in Saudi Arabia and it’s an amazing place with kind people. I’m sure the Dakar will be great in our region.“The plan seems to be a 100 percent year in Saudi Arabia and then try to go to other countries like Oman, Jordan or Egypt.”
Saudi Arabia’s not short of terrain for the Dakar, with 1.4 million square miles of Arabian desert to work with, along with the Asir mountain range where temperatures range from -2 to 30 degrees Celsius in January.
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