Dakar 2020

[Andres125sx]

I´m surprised about the lack of interest in this race around here. Dakar is a mix between a racing competition and a survival competition, even when in past years it became more of a long WRC comp, lately and specially this year they´re trying to return it to its origins, removing raw speed from the equation and adding more navigation

As many of you will know, Alonso is participating despite coming from the on-road world, wich is a huge challenge. Yesterday in first stage he finished 11th wich is quite positive for a first Dakar stage ever

In bikes, only KTM (I think it was 18 consecutive years winning) and Honda are title contenders, in cars only Mini (2wd and 4wd) and Toyota (4wd) can take it, in SXS (side by side) I have no idea but KTM built a new vehicle and the category is growing. In trucks I have no idea, but I love those mastodons jumping trhough the desert, they´re really impressive

[Wouter]

Fernando Alonso lost a lot of time on Monday in the second stage of the Dakar Rally. The 38-year-old rookie hit a rock after 160 kilometers and stood still for a long time.

The Toyota Hilux from Alonso and its navigator Marc Coma suffered a lot of damage to a wheel and the suspension. The Spaniards tried in vain to carry out the repair themselves, causing them to wait a long time for the assistance truck of their Toyota Gazoo team.

The 38-year-old Alonso, who finished eleventh in the first stage on Sunday, had set the eighth gap to just under half the stage from Al Wajh to Neom over 367 kilometers just before he broke down. At the next intermediate point - after 214 kilometers - Alonso had lost more than 2.5 hours.

https://twitter.com/dakar/status/1214158506162606082

[Andres125sx]

Fernando Alonso lost a lot of time on Monday in the second stage of the Dakar Rally. The 38-year-old rookie hit a rock after 160 kilometers and stood still for a long time.

The Toyota Hilux from Alonso and its navigator Marc Coma suffered a lot of damage to a wheel and the suspension. The Spaniards tried in vain to carry out the repair themselves, causing them to wait a long time for the assistance truck of their Toyota Gazoo team.

The 38-year-old Alonso, who finished eleventh in the first stage on Sunday, had set the eighth gap to just under half the stage from Al Wajh to Neom over 367 kilometers just before he broke down. At the next intermediate point - after 214 kilometers - Alonso had lost more than 2.5 hours.

https://twitter.com/dakar/status/1214158506162606082

Actually they repaired the suspension theirselves, as explained after the stage their initial plan was to wait for the assistance, but as the truck will need 4-5h to reach their point they started dismantling some pieces... then some more... and at some point they and their team decided they could do it all theireselves. When the truck (wich was not their assistance truck) arrived the job was almost done

[Andres125sx]

Stage 2:

[Wouter]

Fernando Alonso lost a lot of time on Monday in the second stage of the Dakar Rally. The 38-year-old rookie hit a rock after 160 kilometers and stood still for a long time.
The Toyota Hilux from Alonso and its navigator Marc Coma suffered a lot of damage to a wheel and the suspension.

.
Actually they repaired the suspension theirselves, as explained after the stage their initial plan was to wait for the assistance, but ........

From Motorsport:
Alonso: "In the end we drove on without front brakes. We had to drive carefully, but it was an experience. It's part of the race. I'm glad I can continue. The goal is to finish, and to experience the Dakar Rally from the start to the end. "

Short video that starts with Marc Coma and Alonso.

https://twitter.com/dakar/status/1214270409094418433

[Andres125sx]

Stage 3:

Van Beveren suffered a crash at 120km/h and broke his shoulder


Huge crash too fro Al Qassimi. Sainz takes the lead. Alonso 5th in the stage

[J.A.W.]

Wow, I've just caught up with a D-2020 highlights show,
Saudi Arabia has some real intense wilderness, amazingly varied desert terrain.

Well done, all the winners, esp' to the US Honda motorcycle squad, by beating KTM
to the top step of the podium - for the 1st time in decades - & a 1st win by a US rider.

[J.A.W.]

Thinking about it, adding a 'personal flyer machine' class to the Dakar race could be a goer,
& it'd certainly be a gruelling endurance test of rider/machine!

(But - if its too big of an ask, at this stage - FAI/Red Bull could add 'em to their air-race series maybe?)