I doubt anyone would protest the outside assistance since almost everyone gets some type of outside assistance somewhere along the line. If someone protests now, a LOT of eyes will be on that driver, and they'll be sorry later when they receive the same penalty!
This ^^^ ^ and THIS^^^ No need to protest (if it's on film and they want to, the jury can give a penalty without a team having to lodge a protest... if the offense is deemed warranted)... anyway, I think that the x-raid brass will sit on their cards... and wait and see. Past form indicates that RG will try to drive himself back to the front, and detonate somewhere along the way (or do soft drinks implode/explode?). Either way, RG tend to fight hardest when he's in the corner... but history suggest he - rarely - gets of the ropes in that situation. It should be fun and spectacular (fast) to watch though.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
SS1/Prologue times were multiplied by 3 for the cars, by 5 for the bikes to fight strategic sandbagging.
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!
Because the stage was so short (13 km's) the ASO multiplying the times by a factor of three for the scoring purposes.
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.
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!!!
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.
He is who he is. People always accuse me of being a Rubby hater which is not true at all I don't hate him, but I'm not a leg humpper either. I love watching him and I love laughing at his antics.
