2013 Dakar Pre-Event Discussion

[pebble35]

Originally Posted by SafariBerg

Not a fan at all of Mr Gordon, he is a massive loose cannon

At the La Serena bivouac 2009 Dakar he came horribly close to killing one of our crew with his cowboy antics by driving through our pit area and square over the persons swag which they had vacated less than 60sec beforehand

Had not heard that - there is a time and place for racing and showboating - a busy bivouac is not one of them

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by Flood

I was suspecting something similar...but it seems like Peterhansel said just that:



source: liberation.fr

So AFP got a quote from Peterhansel, and he said "tricheur", "cheater".



What if both sides are enjoying the PR war?

The Toyota team is sitting in the wings, quietly watching the soft drink giants beat each other up playing wordfued with one another...?

[Bluebull2007]

Originally Posted by SafariBerg

hmm is there any verification that Peterhansel actually made those comments ??

sounds very unlike him and even more unlike X-Raid to release something like that

sounds more like cyber trash coming from a Robbie good old boy supporter

Ah, good point Garry.

Lets not forget that Robbie nearly killed Christophe Barrier-Varju passing dangerously close to him with no sentinel activation/warning in 2010 as well.

(BTW where is CVBRacing thses days, he hardly comments here anymore ).

[doyle]

Let's face facts, from RG's antics to Peterhansel punts to Sainz's outright dangerous moves, these guys are here to win and the the competitiveness at the sharp end of the standings is making that even more apparent. I like RG's showboating because quite frankly, what other car that didn't win do you remember? Other than the Toyota being a new truck in the mix, does anyone remember what any of them did on the podium or during the race? Other than Alfie's Volvo going up in flames, other than a Toyota roll, it's the showmanship we remember. It attracts attention, it attracts fans, it stirs up the fervor, and I like that.

[Deadly99]

Originally Posted by doyle

Let's face facts, from RG's antics to Peterhansel punts to Sainz's outright dangerous moves, these guys are here to win and the the competitiveness at the sharp end of the standings is making that even more apparent. I like RG's showboating because quite frankly, what other car that didn't win do you remember? Other than the Toyota being a new truck in the mix, does anyone remember what any of them did on the podium or during the race? Other than Alfie's Volvo going up in flames, other than a Toyota roll, it's the showmanship we remember. It attracts attention, it attracts fans, it stirs up the fervor, and I like that.

I agree but...if everyone did donuts in their vechicles with crowds standing around, jumped the podiums, etc disaster would strike. I am surprised the ASO let RG get away with showboating regardless of how much the fans enjoy it. I suppose it will take a disaster before he is told to stop. In some spects it takes away from the competition, if a showboater gets more attention than the winner...well it kinda makes one wonder if its better to showboat than to win as their sponsors get more coverage. Its not a black and white situation and I am on the fence about my thoughts on it....

[Baja Dad]

Originally Posted by Deadly99

I agree but...if everyone did donuts in their vechicles with crowds standing around, jumped the podiums, etc disaster would strike. I am surprised the ASO let RG get away with showboating regardless of how much the fans enjoy it. I suppose it will take a disaster before he is told to stop. In some spects it takes away from the competition, if a showboater gets more attention than the winner...well it kinda makes one wonder if its better to showboat than to win as their sponsors get more coverage. Its not a black and white situation and I am on the fence about my thoughts on it....

The Disaster has happen!
They have awaken the Orange Speed Demon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
if RG was not driving the Auto's would be BORING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deadly99]

Originally Posted by Baja Dad

The Disaster has happen!
They have awaken the Orange Speed Demon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
if RG was not driving the Auto's would be BORING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your bromance is obvious

I dont think the car class is boring without the showboat, certainly more entertaining with him in it but he isnt the do all and end all to the car category. I enjoy seeing who is going to win each year, watching the legends like Alfie, Peterhansel, etc

Its the Dakar, not Baja

[Baja Dad]

Originally Posted by Deadly99

Your bromance is obvious

I dont think the car class is boring without the showboat, certainly more entertaining with him in it but he isnt the do all and end all to the car category. I enjoy seeing who is going to win each year, watching the legends like Alfie, Peterhansel, etc

Its the Dakar, not Baja

Alifie is an Old Friend Great Guy!! Great Racer !!!!!
Peterhansel is a GREAT racer and I have meet him a few times.
( But I think he need's little Cheese to go with his WINE )

No Bromance !!! I have know RG since he was 6yrs old.
He is a little over the top !!!!!! but he is also a HOME Grown Racer

Yes it is DAKAR and RG has shown he can run in front ( now he need to Win or Shut up )

as for Baja ??????
Peterhansel never took the challenge as far as I know to race here.But he did Race the Nevada Rally one time.

NOT ONE!! Dakar winner has WON the Baja 1000 just as not one Baja winner has Won Dakar !!
with a little luck !! This could be the year !!!!!!

[skamikazee]

Comeon.... would the Daka get any coverage on North America without RG and his stunts? He's geat for the race, and this kind of news bring's the race to the headlines 6 weeks before the start!

I do agree with Pebble35, there's a time and place for it, and that's wher e i think ASO should be more strict, you mentioned doing Donut's on the Bivouac, i remeber seeing a footage of him doing the same on the Highway after a tollboth/gas station, at some point facing oncoming traffic

[doyle]

Originally Posted by Deadly99

I agree but...if everyone did donuts in their vechicles with crowds standing around, jumped the podiums, etc disaster would strike. I am surprised the ASO let RG get away with showboating regardless of how much the fans enjoy it. I suppose it will take a disaster before he is told to stop. In some spects it takes away from the competition, if a showboater gets more attention than the winner...well it kinda makes one wonder if its better to showboat than to win as their sponsors get more coverage. Its not a black and white situation and I am on the fence about my thoughts on it....

I am also somewhat on the fence and usually appreciate a quiet, smooth, dominating performance over a loud, brash, crash across the finish line in first, but for whatever reason, I like RG's out of the box approach as a good counterbalance to the somewhat stodgy way the ASO runs things. He screams woohoo, here comes the US of A! and usually that's out of place in an irritating way but oddly, I see it here as out of place in an endearing way, I'm not sure why.

He does what he has to to attract sponsorship to allow him to keep doing what he does. He tried the German mold in the VW team and no one remembers anything spectacular from those years, but we all remember RG flying down into Iquique or jumping past Vladimir at insane speeds. In this odd context, I really like the show that RG brings to the table.

[too old]

Originally Posted by doyle

I am also somewhat on the fence and usually appreciate a quiet, smooth, dominating performance over a loud, brash, crash across the finish line in first, but for whatever reason, I like RG's out of the box approach as a good counterbalance to the somewhat stodgy way the ASO runs things. He screams woohoo, here comes the US of A! and usually that's out of place in an irritating way but oddly, I see it here as out of place in an endearing way, I'm not sure why.

He does what he has to to attract sponsorship to allow him to keep doing what he does. He tried the German mold in the VW team and no one remembers anything spectacular from those years, but we all remember RG flying down into Iquique or jumping past Vladimir at insane speeds. In this odd context, I really like the show that RG brings to the table.

Whichever way you look at it it won't be dull, don't forget also that there was a bit of friction with Nasser also, so there will be fireworks.

The route though if as duney as believed might not best suit the Hummer, but it won't stop the show

[Bluebull2007]

I have my money on Toyota this year. Quietly getting on with the job on the best sounding car on the rally.

The dunes of Stage 2 and 3 are going to sort out a lot of competitors this year. Notice that the stages are short, because it is going to go right through the biggest and steepest dune fields ever seen in the Dakar.

[Deadly99]

Originally Posted by Bluebull2007

I have my money on Toyota this year. Quietly getting on with the job on the best sounding car on the rally.

The dunes of Stage 2 and 3 are going to sort out a lot of competitors this year. Notice that the stages are short, because it is going to go right through the biggest and steepest dune fields ever seen in the Dakar.

Big, steep and deep ? Cause it always seems like deep is the big factor for difficulties (more so once a few dozen trucks and cars churn them up)...come on Neil, take one for the team and ride out there and get us some photos of you getting stuck

[DaveRMS]

Originally Posted by deadly99

big, steep and deep ? Cause it always seems like deep is the big factor for difficulties (more so once a few dozen trucks and cars churn them up)...come on neil, take one for the team and ride out there and get us some photos of you getting stuck

+1

[Desert Matt]

Originally Posted by troy safari carpente

What a bl¤¤dy shame that GHR/Honda could not get BOTH of these guys to the "BIG SHOW" in january... with his (35th ?) placing on debut in 2011 (and a few top 15 leg results) despite some problems along the way, Jake would have been an ideal two man assault team paired with brother Todd.

Aside from Ben Grabham (riding with KTM australia support in Dakar this coming event), Jake and Todd are the TWO most dominant and repeatedly successful riders from Oz in the safari/cross country scene.

A shame HRC can't find a spot for one of them?

I bet Jake is sitting at home today waiting for the phone to ring. HRC shake down dramas at the last minute.