Final day of scrutineering
The 32nd edition of the Dakar is already a reality for the competitors, mainly North and South Americans, who underwent scrutineering. After three days of gathering and formalities the riders and crews will get to grips with the first stage on New Year’s Day. It is a time for renewing acquaintances, telling tales of journeys and exciting events as well as speculating on how the race will unfold. The Dakar scrutineering is a grand pre-race meeting that always takes place in a relaxed atmosphere, underscored by the necessary amount of concentration to look ahead to the 14 days of racing as well as the 9,000 kilometers of roads, tracks and dunes that await the contestants. The competitors who discovered the Americas last year also renewed acquaintance with Buenos Aires. During the final day of scrutineering, the Argentine public flocked to the La Rural exhibition center, as the time for battle on the country’s tracks approaches. On Fox Sports, South American viewers were able to enjoy a program entirely devoted to Orlando Terranova, the rider who is the focus of all Argentina’s hopes in the car race, behind the wheel of his Mitsubishi Lancer. In their day time issues, newspapers Clarin, La Nacion, El Pais and Diario Z for example, concentrated on coverage of the event, as the inhabitants of Buenos Aires of all ages headed for La Rural, where technical and administrative scrutineering is taking place.
On the menu were autograph signing sessions with riders and drivers, photos of the bikes and trucks entering the secure enclosure, as well as demonstrations and events set up by the rally’s partners. Several tens of thousands of spectators have already visited the Dakar Village to get a taste of the atmosphere. Within the exhibition center, this gathering is particularly vital for the competitors, who pass from stand to stand in order to obtain, once this veritable obstacle course is completed, the stamp authorizing them to start the first stage. In most cases, the formalities pass by without a hitch, but the riders and drivers have a talent for the unexpected. The wooden spoon for the day goes to Kutlu Torunlar, who injured his knee climbing onto his bike. Though he has a reputation for collecting mishaps, this incident did not curb the Turk’s enthusiasm. He will definitely be on the tracks on Friday, like all the other 450cc riders who are hoping the new rules will allow them to have their say in the duel between Coma and Despres. David Frétigné, 3rd in 2009, officially declared his ambition: “I’m hoping for victory”. In the truck category, the crews lead by Chagin and Kabirov, who together boast seven victories in the last nine editions are the big favourites for the race. Their impressive Kamaz trucks have received the official seal of approval to race.
During the last day of scrutineering, the journalists and spectators in attendance at La Rural will be able to see the “big fish” of the Dakar. Marc Coma and Cyril Despres, even with restrictors fitted to the air intakes on their KTMs, will be involved in the battle for the title come what may. In the car category, the confrontation between Volkswagen and BMW X-Raid will also kick off in front of the television cameras.
Last year, the Volkswagen team achieved victory by placing a diesel-powered vehicle on the highest step of the Dakar podium for the first time. Giniel De Villiers, who embodies the winning combination virtuosity, performance and caution at high speed, triumphed at the end of a ‘knock-out’ race that eliminated in particular his team-mate and winner of 6 special stages Carlos Sainz three days from the finishing line! Despite the fall of the “Matador”, with Mark Miller in second place, Volkswagen put another Race Touareg on the podium. However, this show of force is by no means a guarantee of an easy stroll through the second South American edition of the Dakar, which starts on Friday the 1st of January.
Though the German team boasts a wealth of resources, this could in fact be its Achilles heel. The acquisition of the lively Nasser Al Attiyah has added competition which should encourage excellence, but it can also push drivers into taking needless risks and suffering the consequences. On the Rally Dos Sertoes, then the Silk Way Rally, the Qatari driver led majestically until the day before the finish, but each time hastiness caused his downfall, to the benefit of his rival for the title, Carlos Sainz. In a race that is twice as long, the possibility of another disaster is likely! Nobody knows whether Giniel De Villiers will once again be well placed to be the winner who takes all.
The withdrawal of Mitsubishi could have been considered by VW as convenient, removing its most threatening rival. Instead, the comings and goings of drivers between teams has turned the situation on its head, giving new hope to the BMW X3s. By hiring Stéphane Peterhansel and Joan “Nani” Roma, the X-Raid team has gained two outstanding drivers and especially two meticulous performance tuners who, it would seem, have managed to transform the car by dint of tests and adjustments. With greater reliability and stability, the X3 could be a more serious rival to the Race Touareg than in 2009 in Argentina and Chile. What’s more, X-Raid can count on a consistent group with the presence of Guerlain Chicherit, world champion in the discipline in 2009.
Whilst the superiority of diesel technology over gasoline engines is taken as given for most competitors, one dissenting voice is that of Robby Gordon. The American demonstrated on the race tracks that his talent is not restricted to hyping himself up, by finishing 3rd in last year’s Dakar. With a temperament like his, he will be seeking to do even better! Lastly, the Mitsubishi Lancers, which left the Dakar under a cloud, will be returning with more modest ambitions, but perhaps a new destiny. In the meanwhile, they were bought by a native of Marseille Nicolas Misslin, then stripped of their diesel engines which were replaced by gasoline engines more suited to the structure. Portugal’s Carlos Sousa and Argentine Orlando Terranova have been entrusted with ensuring a respectable finish.
Images Volkswagen Motorsport – Puro Off Road is registered news user with Volkswagen Motorsport and Volkswagen of America
Related posts:
- Volkswagen final preperations
- Volkswagen send 35 4X4 Amarok to the Dakar.
- Stephane Peterhansel final testing Dakar 2010
- Argentina – Chile 2011 rally route
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This post was compiled by Memin Pinguin
