New car, terrain for 9-time champ as 'Dakar' shifts to South America
Roy Medina, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 08/23/2008 6:19 AM
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Nine-time Dakar rally champion Stephane Peterhansel of France will be driving a new car as the two-week race transfers to its new battle ground in South America.
"I will be flying to Africa tomorrow (Saturday) to test the (Mitsubishi) Lancer [Evolution]," Peterhansel said during a special meet and greet portion at the 2nd Philippine International Motor Show in Pasay City on Friday.
The French champion, who arrived Thursday, said the new car will be a cross between the Lancer Evo and the Pajero Evolution that he drove to victory during the 2007 race.
"It’ll be a new challenge, new destination and a new car," he said.
Peterhansel’s new car, it was learned, will run on diesel.
Mitsubishi, meanwhile, has introduced the new MRX09 built especially for the Dakar’s 2009 race.
The champion said that following the 15-day test in Africa this month, the team shall take a break and come back in October for another round.
"We’ll do 12,000 kilometers in Africa before the race," Peterhansel said.
He said that he sees an advantage since he has been practicing regularly with the new race car.
He, however, said that as such in races, he cannot tell what will happen at the finish line.
"It’s the same level but nobody knows what will happen," the champ said, adding that he is excited to race again, Dakar-style, after the cancellation of this year’s edition due to terrorist threats.
Peterhansel has won the Dakar five times on a motorcycle from 1991 to 1998. He also bagged the top prize in the race thrice in 2004, 2005 and 2007.
Atlantic crossing
In place of the 2008 edition, the Dakar Series was formed to compensate for the absence of the race this year.
The Series’ Central Europe Rally was set from April 20-26, 2008 from Hungary to Romania. Spaniard Carlos Sainz of Volkswagen won the race. Peterhansel came in second.
The Pax Rally from Lisboa to Portimao, meanwhile, has been scheduled from Sept. 10-14.
For the 30th year of the Dakar, the race crosses the Atlantic Ocean for Chile and Argentina. The race starts and ends in Buenos Aires.
According to race director Etienne Lavigne, Amaury Sports Organization, the Dakar’s organizer, has so far received 600 applications.
"There is a very real enthusiasm for the 2009 edition. This proves, quite simply, that the Dakar is unique – always a great adventure, and it is inimitable. The Dakar goes on - and continues to inspire dreams," he said in an interview posted on the official Dakar Web site.
New place, same tough race
Lavigne said that similar to the Dakar in Europe and Africa, the South American edition will be special.
"The route is ambitious -- remember, we’ll be doing 6,000 km of specials!" he said. All in all, the race will cover a distance of 9,000 kilometers from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso in Chile and back to the Argentine capital.
Lavigne said the route will be "extremely varied".
"There will be fast, very fast, steering, sand, and dunes –the best racers. The route will be both testing and demanding," he said, adding that the race would certainly bring out the best from the drivers and their machines.
He said that while there has been a change in location, competitors should not expect an easy race.
"We are organizing the Dakar, not a walk in the park, and the Dakar has to be the toughest race in the world," the race chief said.
The Dakar, South American edition, takes place from January 3-18 in 2009.
