Robby Gordon 2013

[Flood]

There's simply no grounds for a protest. Spectators pushing cars out is a staple of the Dakar, that's the stuff people want to see. I can't remember any protest of that kind passing the green table.

Also, RG has lost enough time as it is, no reason to heap a penalty on top.

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by HogWild

There is a time limit on filing a protest, or making such a ruling, which is probably some hours after the finish of the stage. So, if they don't do it now, it becomes too late.

You are right... I'm not saying they can hold him to ransom for it (wait three days and then protest) I just pointing out that IF ASO clerk of Course or the FIA Jury deem it to be outside assistance, they CAN penalize him without another team lodging a protest (before the protest time limit - when the provisional general classification results are made final). I agree that no other team will protest ( like you say; bad karma/eyes on us) at this early stage, nor - probably - do they need to.

[Strong Bad]

People are talking that he's 30 min back. But official timing is showing 10 min off leader. Was he given a time penalty for the assistance??? Sorry I was away all day and wasn't trying to watch live.

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by Flood

There's simply no grounds for a protest. Spectators pushing cars out is a staple of the Dakar, that's the stuff people want to see. I can't remember any protest of that kind passing the green table.

Also, RG has lost enough time as it is, no reason to heap a penalty on top.

Not so... didn't Ari Vatanen get stung for outside assistance when he drowned the Race toureg in Portugal (2006?). a spectator vehicle towed out the car... and (IIRC) he finished the stage on a strap behind one of the VW team T5 service trucks... okay, it was a liason stage (not a special), but he copped a time penalty for it. Also true that this was back when Mitsubishi were analy retentive about maintaining their dominance...

but grounds for a penalty/protest there IS... outside assistance may NOT be provided by any other vehicle/persons than another competing crew. THAT's the rule.

[Flood]

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

People are talking that he's 30 min back. But official timing is showing 10 min off leader. Was he given a time penalty for the assistance??? Sorry I was away all day and wasn't trying to watch live.

SS1/Prologue times were multiplied by 3 for the cars, by 5 for the bikes to fight strategic sandbagging.

[HogWild]

Originally Posted by Flood

You mean like when he got towed out of that ditch by the tiny Fiat in Argentina?

No no, Robby HIMSELF was driving that Fiat. He happened to find this old car just sitting beside the road, jumped in, and towed the Hummer out of the ditch. No outside assistanec at all!

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

People are talking that he's 30 min back. But official timing is showing 10 min off leader. Was he given a time penalty for the assistance??? Sorry I was away all day and wasn't trying to watch live.

Because the stage was so short (13 km's) the ASO multiplying the times by a factor of three for the scoring purposes.

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by troy safari carpente

Because the stage was so short (13 km's) the ASO multiplying the times by a factor of three for the scoring purposes.

Copy that, thank you!

[ric678]

2) Assistance carried out by a non-accredited Vehicle or person will lead to the following penalties :
 1st infringement : obligation for Vehicles and/or the persons concerned to be accredited with the Organisation or to leave the itinerary of the Rally + a 3-hour penalty for the Competitor concerned, 6 hours on a Selective Section;
 2nd infringement: Disqualification of the concerned Driver.

[larryboy]

Whew, 130th...that isn't the way we wanted it on day 1.


Time to win some specials.

[Tork]

Big Snowball this early ,

[HogWild]

Now that I think about it, that particular steep dune was probably not marked in the roadbook as it should have been, so I think ASO may neutalize that section. Robby may be back in it after all! DuneGate!!!

[Deadly99]

Originally Posted by larryboy

Don't forget, this is a FAN thread, if you don't like him feel free to take it to the main Dakar thread.

Nah this is the internet

[larryboy]

Planet Robby is showing 136th and 31 back.

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by larryboy

Don't forget, this is a FAN thread, if you don't like him feel free to take it to the main Dakar thread.

I've never said I don't like him... I've often said he's one of the most naturally talented and gifted off road drivers I've ever witnessed (saw him race personally, repeatedly in SCORE HDRA and MTEG events in the 1987 - 1990 period, where he won titles as a teenager. A unique talent without a doubt...

In my opinion had he stayed at VW and found a way to fit in within the framework there... he'd have had at least two dakar titles to his name by now (probably 2007 and the one Devilliers took in 2009), but he decided to go his own way... and it's never (unfortunately) worked out for him.

my point being that (just like his driving style) he tries to meet the competition (and officialdom) head on... and that's NOT working for him the last half dozen years or so...

I didn't realise that "fan" thread dictates you cannot discuss such a subject openly, with a touch of humour or ribbing... my appologies.