The Dakar is on....

[WhiteD3]

SBS at 5.50 PM. Also on their HD channel 30.

[cols110]

Its a shame Bruce Garland is not racing this year, I had a look at the entry list & could not see his name or team entered. His team ran in the UAE Desert Challenge this year with a couple of local drivers in the car & Harry Suzuki as team manager, I was hoping to at least see his team with an Aussie driver on the starting grid even if Bruce is not able to race again yet.

[shorty943]

Dakar is off to it's usual not so good start.

Rider dies at Dakar Rally - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-02/rider-dies-at-dakar-rally/3754500)

Let's hope that's the only fatality this year.

[Benz]

must say i really am enjoying watching the dakar.

have been watching it on the sbs site as work clashes with the time it's on tv.

for anyone who wants to catch up on the action you can watch it here.

Video : SBS Dakar Rally 2011 (http://www.sbs.com.au/dakar/video/)

click on highlights to watch each class in each stage.

[WhiteD3]

must say i really am enjoying watching the dakar.


I'm not! Take out "what happened yesterday", the ads, "vintage", "personal" and "what's on tomorrow", and we get what, 15 minutes of coverage?

[russellrovers]

I'm not! Take out "what happened yesterday", the ads, "vintage", "personal" and "what's on tomorrow", and we get what, 15 minutes of coverage?
yes i agree with you i think the coveridge is not there they must be out of money no mention of the 3 r rovers jim

[wagoo]

The SBS coverage is pathetic as always.There's naf all tech in the commentary, vehicle brands aside from the top 4 front runners are barely mentioned, and it seems that more attention is payed to the bike riders than cars. I read somewhere that only one English speaking media outfit is covering it, so maybe the Mainstream media think it's all a big yawn.
Bill.

[inside]

How was the Merc getting through the creek today? Bit of a joke, I reckon I could've got my FL2 through there easier. The driver floored it and it just dug holes in the loose rock..... Sometimes horsepower isn't everything.

[Boxhead63]

Doe's anyone have any idea where videos of previous Dakars might be available. Oh and this one when it is finished?

Cheers
Rob

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Doe's anyone have any idea where videos of previous Dakars might be available. Oh and this one when it is finished?

Cheers
RobI heard the race had been cancelled, snow on the Andes. So my house mate said.

Not that it's actually the Dakar, a bit like having the London Olympics in Kenya!

[WhiteD3]

I heard the race had been cancelled, snow on the Andies. So my house mate said.

Not that it's actually the Dakar, a bit like having the London Olympics in Kenya!

Only the one stage (yesterday) over the Andes.

[RANDLOVER]

I thought I'd bump this up to the top for 2013 as SBS coverage starts at 5:30 PM on Jan 6th. I hope they show more of the Land Rover based Bowlers this year and maybe a RR Sport based Nemesis if any are entered. I was very impressed with the Bowler the year before last, as a there was a car sized hole next to a bend in the track, and a lot of cars had to be helped out of it by the spectators. The Bowler just had to be helped on to it's wheels and drove itself out, whereas the others had to be pushed out as well.

[LandyAndy]

One of our WA members is hoping to compete next year:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool:
He is a mojo bike pilot.
Andrew

[Yorkie]

just had a look at the competitor list and a few aussies on bikes :cool:,
the red bull buggys will be interesting, especially for sainz.
looking forward to this one. :)

competitors list :Dakar (http://www.dakar.com/dakar/2013/us/rider/rider-list-bikes.html)

[Landy Smurf]

lol the link is affected by the smiley. I am going to try and watch as much as i can but i know i will miss a fair bit of it.

[WhiteD3]

Was it just me or was the video quality of tonights first stage terrible?

[Fifth Columnist]

My annual post Christmas treat is back.
The DAKAR started on Sunday https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/06/335.jpg
Do you get it in Oz?

[WhiteD3]

We get a 30 minute wrap up each day, ~12 minutes of which is new footage. Video quality was crap for stage 1.

[87County]

We get a 30 minute wrap up each day, ~12 minutes of which is new footage. Video quality was crap for stage 1.

X 2 - on free to air we only get a very poor coverage mostly featuring not-so-subtle red bull and other sponsors' ads

[Barryp]

SBS have a half hour each night at 530 in Sydney.
Regards
Barryp

[Reads90]

Yeah SBS and Euro Sport

Have not seen it yet but hoping Eurosport has Calton Kirby doing it as always tells you how the Landies , bowlers and warriors are doing.

[Landy Smurf]

I thought the dakar started today on tv.
Our coverage use to be really good when I was younger from memory it was on for most of the day but now it is hardly worth watching as you just see the major guys

[crash]

I thought the dakar started today on tv.
Our coverage use to be really good when I was younger from memory it was on for most of the day but now it is hardly worth watching as you just see the major guys
I have to agree, coverage use to be alot better a number of years ago. I love the dakar, is the only race that I can not get enough of. One Aussie is 19th in the bikes and 20 in the cars after stage 2.
The official website will give you more info about standings but the videos are the same as seen on TV.

[harry]

it's on eurosport half an hour before the sbs coverage,
last night there were some differences between the two presentations, but mostly the same footage,
yep i agree, too many repeats padding out the half hour.
for a race thas 75 trucks this year, it will be interesting to see if we see more than the lead four or five.

just gotta love robby gordon in the hummer, how was the lift in the run through the starting dias?

and as usual, it is hard to find the land rover derivatives,
the eoropean money is hard to beat.

[Reads90]

Watch euro sport as Clatin Kirby does it and that is the uk version he will tell you where the Brits are which is normally always land rovers of some sort. Wildcats, or bowlers or warriors

[Landy Smurf]

it really is a if you blink you miss it kind of program

[JayBoRover]

One of our WA members is hoping to compete next year:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool:
He is a mojo bike pilot.
Andrew
Yep. Eyes for the Dakar 2014:)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/1256.jpg
Photo is me in 2012 Australasian Safari where I finished 12th overall and 6th in "Super Production 450cc" class.

[Landy Smurf]

I will try my best to watch it

[JayBoRover]

The "Race to Recovery" Land Rover team got a good spot of airtime in the SBS coverage today. Only one of the four cars still running in the event. The interview with one of the team really makes you realise how devastating it is being ejected from this event. These are tough ex-military duds that have been wounded in action and know all about suffering and overcoming difficulties ... hard to watch him struggling to hold back tears! Heroes for giving it a go.

[cjc_td5]

I haven't done any reading of the classes or regs, but how do they differentiate in that they call the MINI a car but the Sainz vehicle a "buggy"? The only difference I can see is 4WD vs 2WD. The MINI certainly doesn't bear any resemblance to any MINI you can buy off the showroom floor!

Continued coverage of the top couple of crews/riders can get a bit boring. The best value to me are the "what you missed" snippets where they cover the real people down the back doing it tough!

Looking forward to cheering on JayBo next year!!! :D

Cheers,

[JayBoRover]

Hi Chris. I believe I have some photo's of the monster Mini at the Desert Challenge when I competed over there. Shows the undercarriage, under the side sills with the Carbon Fibre panel removed and in the "boot" where the spare tyres are. All space-frame tubing "chassis", Carbon Fibre bodywork and Titanium bits. Also stands head and shoulders higher than a Mini!:cool:

The rules are extremely complex but there is a "Production" class that is very, very limited in what changes you can make. The best place Production car sitting around 15th in the cars. (I think it's a Toymota Prado or similar).

The buggies get 2WD, much more wheel travel, ability to change tyre pressure on board, etc. I'll see if I can come up with a summary, but cars aren't my strong point:angel:.

I'm also hopeful that Macman on here, that is at the Dakar doing photo-journo duties for the GHR Honda team, may have some photo's of the Land Rover team this year. I'll be prodding him to post a few up. I was looking forward to seeing those Bowler things this year, until work schedule changed and my plans along it:mad:.

Cheers
John B

[MacMan]

I'm also hopeful that Macman on here, that is at the Dakar doing photo-journo duties for the GHR Honda team, may have some photo's of the Land Rover team this year. I'll be prodding him to post a few up. I was looking forward to seeing those Bowler things this year, until work schedule changed and my plans along it:mad:.

Cheers
John B

Sadly JayBo the budget wouldn't accommodate me being anywhere other than home for Dakar. Glenn calls most days but photos have been very hard to come by.

[Yorkie]

some interesting times in the last stage, but good to hear an aussie won a stage. :cool:

Australian wins Dakar stage - Speedcafe (http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/01/17/australian-wins-dakar-stage/)

[JayBoRover]

Sadly JayBo the budget wouldn't accommodate me being anywhere other than home for Dakar. Glenn calls most days but photos have been very hard to come by.
Ah that's a shame. For some reason I thought you'd gone over too. Maybe if Glenn had bought a truck with only one spare wheel and just used a normal car for the support crew instead of an Audi Q7, he'd have the money for a team photo-journo.;) Maybe next time.

[knodes85]

Speaking of photo-journos...

Boston Big Picture 2013 Dakar (http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2013/01/dakar_rally_2013.html)

So good...

[JayBoRover]

Sorry for the "non Land Rover" content, but the Bowler LRs didn't come to the Desert Challenge when I was there, so we get Monster Mini's instead.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/827.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/832.jpg

Twin shocks.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/831.jpg

Quite tall with a raised roof that spreads fresh air.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/829.jpg

Spares, and lots of special bits and space frame chassis.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/830.jpg

Trick stuff hides under the Carbon Fibre skin of the sills:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/828.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/627.jpg

Lots of people to crawl all over it every time it stops:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/628.jpg

Lots of spares of course:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/834.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/833.jpg

This is just the service/support truck. The race trucks are basically hollow.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/01/835.jpg

I can't wait to get back out there with them all. Be a looong wait to December but it'll go waaay too quickly I fear!

[MacMan]

Ah that's a shame. For some reason I thought you'd gone over too. Maybe if Glenn had bought a truck with only one spare wheel and just used a normal car for the support crew instead of an Audi Q7, he'd have the money for a team photo-journo.;) Maybe next time.

They're ready to torch the Audi actually. Complete POS for the job description. It has nearly every warning light showing, gets hot, has road car suspension, cramped space for the passengers and they'd have chosen a bog standard Hilux if they knew what it was going to be like.

[Cobber]

I would love to be part of the support crew (let alone drive!) - I don't imagine it would be easy, but it would definately be fulfilling :cool:

[isuzu110]

The MINI certainly doesn't bear any resemblance to any MINI you can buy off the showroom floor!

In the 2012 Dakar coverage they did an article on the Monster Minis. Something like only 7 components inherited from the showroom mini. From memory, they only included the windscreen, door handles, headlights or tail lights and some of the dash. Whole vehicle is wider and higher than the standard car.

And there's continued rumours that the Great Walls are nothing more than rebadged BMWs. The specs are strikingly similar.