2014 Dakar rumours ???

[SafariBerg]

Hmmm anyone heard any rumours or innuendo re Dakar 2014 possible location ???

Been getting some whispers that Dakar may move away from South America

Hard to see that happening in the near future, specially in the light of HRC rally spend mostly coming out of S. America $$

BUT

[JoeyBones]

Ok. I'll play.

I haven't heard anything at all but it is cool to think of what the options could be... So, where could you hold a 5,000+ mile off-road rally?

USA/Canada - You'd have to circle around some and double back on yourself a bit to fit that distance in any place with tough terrain, but possible. If you added Mexico you could make it interesting but then security concerns might come into play.

Australia - Maybe some good options but I don't see it ever being held in just one country.

Mongolia/Russia and a 'Stan or two - Interesting?

Back to Africa - Would they do that?

Hmmm. It's fun to spin the globe around and wonder...

[SafariBerg]

Originally Posted by JoeyBones

Ok. I'll play.

...

actually not playing, serious contacts in South America have said to me it may be going elsewhere soon

[BigBearJoe]

Originally Posted by SafariBerg

actually not playing, serious contacts in South America have said to me it may be going elsewhere soon

Elsewhere where? Even if it is just rumor.

[SafariBerg]

Originally Posted by BigBearJoe

Elsewhere where? Even if it is just rumor.

dunno, they just said not South America

[snowhawk jockey]

Originally Posted by SafariBerg

dunno, they just said not South America

If I was running a team from europe and wanted to suggest a way to save money for the teams and reduce the limit of access to lessor funded teams, i would say start the Rally in Europe. It would bring the race home to a larg fan base and spectating could be vigorious like in So Am. Maybe munich and wind around the Mediterranian in "friendly territory" through hungary romania bulgaria turkey iraq saudi arabia then end in Qatar. Gonna have to map quest that To see if there are enough miles of desert in the end.

So Munich to Qatar 2014?

[wingnut11]

Originally Posted by JoeyBones

Ok. I'll play.

I haven't heard anything at all but it is cool to think of what the options could be... So, where could you hold a 5,000+ mile off-road rally?

USA/Canada - You'd have to circle around some and double back on yourself a bit to fit that distance in any place with tough terrain, but possible. If you added Mexico you could make it interesting but then security concerns might come into play.

Australia - Maybe some good options but I don't see it ever being held in just one country.

Mongolia/Russia and a 'Stan or two - Interesting?

Back to Africa - Would they do that?

Hmmm. It's fun to spin the globe around and wonder...

How about pick three from your list, keep South America and run one of them every three months. I'm sure that you it could be worked out to so the races take place during the best time of year in each place.

[escuchamente]

If the results of the Arab spring finally bring stability to the area, Dakar will return to Africa. Maybe not West Africa and the city, Dakar, but Tunisia, Libya, Egypt. Morocco then east would be ideal, but without Algeria welcoming the event a cross N. Africa event wouldn't totally work.
Anyway, pray for peace, prepare for rally.

[Stagehand]

Originally Posted by escuchamente

Anyway, pray for peace, prepare for rally.

I like that

[Brodovitch]

If we're talking Africa, then a loop starting and ending in South Africa wοuld be the only viable option considering the political instability up north?

[Brodovitch]

Unfortunately I think North America is very unlikely - the insurance premium would drive the ASO away...

Mexico & Central America could be an option... ?

[Flood]

I don't see it. With the current unrest in all around the Sahara, Africa is not an option in the foreseeable future.

Europe just doesn't have that kind of open terrain. The Central Europe Rally in '08 was a disaster with 3-4 days consisting of running the same gravel tracks on military testing grounds over and over. Everybody apart from Carlos Sainz hated it.
The interest in Europe (Spain, France and the crazy Dutch) is there anyway, no matter where in the world it is run.

North America is very unlikely due to land use issues.

Central Asia might be an option.

South America still makes the most sense. Stunning scenery, stable politics, crazy fans and an a good market for Honda and Spanish sponsors.

[Carlos M]

Originally Posted by Flood

I don't see it. With the current unrest in all around the Sahara, Africa is not an option in the foreseeable future

As much as I hate to admit it, you are right. For more than a year now, there are news that the border between Morocco and Algeria will open any day. This could give us some hope as these two have enough space to run a Dakar but they neighbour Mali, Libya, Niger and Mauritania - AQIM territory.

Originally Posted by Flood

South America still makes the most sense. Stunning scenery, stable politics, crazy fans and an a good market for Honda and Spanish sponsors.

Dakar was raced around the Sahara for almost 30 years. Stepping out of Africa, ASO discovered that they haven't lost the brand, that they could recreate the race mostly anywhere where scenery, sponsorship, logistics and politics allows - even keeping the touareg logo!

From now on they will head where the money and strategy dictate. Volkswagen wanted to sell Amaroks in South America, Honda wants to sell even more millions of CG's and Tornados... The local public goes wild with the race, and we never heard the global TV audience to be waning. Even us (the african addicted) have accepted El Dakaro. What reasons could there be to head somewhere else in the next 2 or 3 editions?

[Flood]

Originally Posted by Carlos M

but they neighbour Mali, Libya, Niger and Mauritania - AQIM territory.

And with Libya, everything got worse. Too many people with guns and crazy ideas running around there. What a shame for this beautiful part of the world and the people there.

Originally Posted by Carlos M

What reasons could there be to head somewhere else in the next 2 or 3 editions?

Monsieur Lavigne: "Hey, government of Chile/Peru/Argentina/Bolivia/[Brazil?]! You know what? If you don't give us XX millions, we go back to Africa next year! The rumors are already EVERYWHERE! They even talk about it on ADV, see?"

[beechum1]

Originally Posted by Flood

Monsieur Lavigne: "Hey, Safariberg! You know what? I have a plan. Go start a rumor on ADV so I can leverage it against S.A.

Fixt.