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Post by truenorth on Dec 9, 2022 14:41:26 GMT -8
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2023 DAKAR RALLY Motul 08 December The lid has been lifted on what riders, drivers and teams can expect at the 2023 Dakar Rally, which starts on 31st December with a prologue in the sands of Saudi Arabia. Rally legends Adrien Van Beveren and Sébastien Loeb took part in the launch presentation for the event a few days ago. Both men will race at the Dakar. Motul ambassador Van Beveren will be contending the Dakar on a Honda after joining the team earlier this year, chalking up wins at Andalucía and Morocco and proving he has the pace to challenge the leading pack. Besides the Original by Motul riders on their bikes, numerous other teams will participate on SSV's, quads, trucks and cars; amongst them the promising team from GCK. How long is the 2023 Dakar? This is the fourth time the Dakar will be staged in Saudi Arabia. Extended over 15 days of racing, the competitors will travel more than 8,549km, of which 4,706 will be timed stages. A special four-day stage will see racers journey into the famous Empty Quarter. As of now, 365 vehicles are expected to take part in the 2023 Dakar. Who’s racing for Motul at the 2023 Dakar? The Motul-backed Honda HRC Team will be one to watch as it goes head-to-head in the sands against esteemed endurance rally riders. Joining Van Beveren on the saddle will be rally legends Ricky Brabec, José Ignacio Cornejo and Pablo Quintanilla. Brabec, who finished second in 2022 and won the Dakar in 2020, the first American to do so, said: “There’s more than a handful of guys who can win Dakar, but staying mentally tough and strong to get through the difficult days with yourself is a part not everyone sees. Once you’ve won the biggest motorsport race in the entire world, you know it can be done again.” Van Beveren, who joined the HRC team earlier this year, is no stranger to the Dakar, racing in it since 2016. He recently said of his collaboration with Motul: “Motul is one of the references in our sport and in the oil world. In motorcycling, Motul is a really premium brand. Its products are super good quality, and the brand has a kind of fashion vintage vibe. It’s a really authentic brand and its products go beyond oil to things like bike helmet cleaners. It’s a really complete brand. It's a really useful partnership for me because it's not only about marketing, it’s about the products that I use, and need, every day.” Motul will also be supporting riders competing in the Original By Motul category, which sees riders compete without team support. It will also be providing lubricants and other products to competitors competing across most of the Dakar categories, from quad bikes to SSV and the Dakar Classic. Motul will also be supporting riders competing in the Original By Motul category, which sees riders compete without team support. It will also be providing lubricants and other products to competitors competing across most of the Dakar categories, from quad bikes to SSV and the Dakar Classic. When is the Dakar on? The Dakar rally starts on 31st December with a prologue, before the first stage starts on 1 January. The event then runs until the 15th January, with a rest day mid-way through the race.
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Post by truenorth on Dec 9, 2022 14:53:38 GMT -8
ROUTE FOR THE 2023 DAKAR IS REVEALED – AND IT’S SET TO BE THE TOUGHEST YET Motul 08 December The route for the 2023 Dakar has been revealed – and it looks set to be another spectacular adventure in the dunes. Billed by the promoters as “one for the tough guys”, the Dakar 2023 takes in almost 5,000 kilometres set across a prologue and 14 special stages. Saudi Arabia – land of adventure Once again, Saudi Arabia will host the endurance rally and promises a wide variety of terrain, from sand dunes to mountains. Starting at a “Sea Camp” on the shores of the Red Sea the 2023 route takes the competitors across Saudi Arabia to the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula on the coast of the Arabian Gulf. In between, they will endure a four-day adventure through the Empty Quarter, which includes the notorious and tough marathon stage. According to the organisers, the 45th edition of the Dakar will be the toughest one since the rally came to Saudi Arabia and is set to be a true test of extreme endurance. 3,900kms in a week The race this year starts with scrutineering on 29th and 30th December, before the action gets underway on 31st December with the prologue, a 10km special stage at the Sea Camp. On 1st January, the race starts properly from Sea Camp, with stage 1 seeing the adventurers embark on a 368km stage with a further 235km of driving between stages. Over the next seven days, there’s little rest for the competitors as they compete in seven more stages, completing more than 3,900kms in total, 3,000km of which are timed stages. Racing in the Empty Quarter On Monday 9th January, the competitors get a well-deserved rest in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, before embarking on a 710km sprint to Haradh, with more than half the stage timed. Over the next five days, the pilots will conquer 2,507km as they navigate through the infamous Empty Quarter before a final push to the finish at Dammam on Sunday 15th January, when the race is concluded.
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Post by truenorth on Dec 22, 2022 10:08:04 GMT -8
GOING IT ALONE IN THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST OFF-ROAD RACE: THE ORIGINAL BY MOTUL Motul 20 December The Dakar Rally is undoubtedly the toughest off-road race in the world. But as if that wasn’t challenging enough, some riders choose to go it alone. And when we say alone, we mean just that: no team support, no mechanics, no chefs or assistants. Just them and their bikes and the wide open desert. We speak to some of the entrants of this year’s Original By Motul category. “For me, it is the most important race of the season and the ultimate adventure. I am grateful that I raced in Africa, South America and Saudi Arabia. Since 2020 I am on the Dakar’s ‘Legend’ list. It is something I couldn’t even dream of in 2006 when I started to prepare for my first Dakar.” Kirsten Landman “Mentally, I am well and know what to expect from my previous experience. But the mechanical part will be a challenge. I am catching up and learning mechanics in a crash course so I can look after the bike myself. I’m making good progress.” Benjamin Melot “It really is a tough race. On an average day you get up at 4.30am and you’re off around 5.30am. Mostly for a ride of 10 to 12 hours every day. Once back in the Bivouac you need to maintain, check and, in the worst case, repair the bike. Catch a few hours of sleep and you’re off again. And that’s the pace for two weeks. It’s not an easy race.” Mario Patrao “I have been focusing on my physical fitness and the technical preparation of the motorcycle and the roadbook. I think I am well prepared. I have lived many adventures in the Dakar, which are difficult to explain in a few lines, but they have certainly enriched the experience for me.” Carlos Verza “You are always on the verge of abandonment. The hardest thing for me was in 2015 when I arrived at the bivouac with a broken engine and I had no choice but to replace it! That pushed me to the limit of my physical and mental endurance. I changed the quad's engine by myself and drove two days without sleep. But it was worth the effort.” Stuart Gregory “It would have been nice to have had the ‘luxury’ of going with a team but with my sponsor pulling out I just couldn’t justify the extra cost. It might have allowed me to improve my result but being realistic I’m never going to be much faster than I have been however many times I enter. I do however have a new challenge. I’m in the veteran class now so a top three in that category would be good… But for me the principle pleasure is to be out in the desert and navigate with the road book.” Javi Vega Puerta “It is a great experience, and just like mountain climbers might aim to conquer Mount Everest or Kilimanjaro as the ultimate goal, riding and finishing the Dakar Rally is the summit for every self-respecting enduro rider.” Simon Marcic “It has always been my dream to ride it. I thought it would never be possible, but at the age of 30 I managed to ride it for the first time. Once you’ve ridden one, it becomes an addiction, I guess.”
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Post by truenorth on Dec 26, 2022 12:29:25 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Dec 29, 2022 10:38:52 GMT -8
WHAT THE WORLD’S LEADING OFF-ROAD RIDERS ARE SAYING BEFORE THE RACE Motul 21 December We’re just days away from the start of the 2023 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. This year, two Motul-backed teams, Honda and Sherco, will be gunning for glory. This is what some of the riders had to say as they prepare for the world’s most challenging off-road race. Ricky Brabec – Monster Energy Honda Team “We had a great season after a challenging Dakar 2022; it wasn't easy to get through that first day with the time loss of 40 minutes. At the end of the W2RC we ended up second, so that's a positive, and we also had some nice stages and podiums throughout the year. As far as changes go, we're on the same model as previous years. The winning package, we know it works and we know the bike is capable of it. The plan for me this year is to get through the first week without making a massive mistake and stay calm. I'm looking forward to seeing how all the new rules they have planned for us are going to work, with time bonuses.” Pablo Quintanilla – Monster Energy Honda Team “The 2022 Dakar was very satisfying, it left me happy with my performance, with my performance. It was also my first Dakar with Honda, in a new team. The expectations and motivation were high and I was able to have a very intelligent race, very stressful, fought until the end.” Lorenzo Santolino – Sherco factory team “Setting a goal of a result is more like dreaming than being realistic because there are so many things we cannot control. But obviously, you have to have a target, and after finishing 6th in 2021, I want to finish in the top five. It's so challenging because even if everything goes well. The competition level continues to improve. There are a lot of fast riders and others who have a lot of experience.” Adrien Van Beveren – Monster Energy Honda Team “I was relieved when I returned to competition in the Rallye du Maroc to win on the second stage. It was the first change of team of my career, I wanted to prove to Honda that they had made a good choice by recruiting me. It gave me confidence that the bike was running well and that I was still in the game. I think I've collected a few more keys to success with the Honda team, but I'm definitely not in it's now or never mode. I want to continue step by step, making a podium would already be great, I've never done it. I recently won stages in Morocco, won in Andalusia, that's good. But I know that in the Dakar it goes a step above and above all that you really have to respect this race because a lot of things can happen.”
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Post by truenorth on Dec 29, 2022 10:51:41 GMT -8
DAKAR 2023: WHAT THE WORLD’S TOP OFF-ROAD DRIVERS ARE SAYING BEFORE THE RACE 21.12.2022 Welcoming us into a new year of motorsport, the Dakar Rally kicks off in 2023 and looks set once again to be a thrilling race for off-road fans. This is what the world’s top endurance rally drivers had to say before the start of the race. GUERLAIN CHICHERIT – GCK MOTORSPORT “What has happened this year is very positive. I instantly felt very comfortable with this car. Of course, when we test, we all think we are world champions, but these feelings were confirmed at the Rally of Morocco. In terms of pure speed, we were often the quickest. I had wanted to get back into a good car for a long time, and this one is capable of everything. In Morocco, I was careful to drive two notches below my potential, and I didn't make the slightest mistake: I arrived ready to battle and left feeling quite confident. The navigation was complicated, and yet Alex did a great job. I think we have the maturity to go the distance. The unknown factor is clearly the performance and reliability of the Audis, but they didn't stop once in Morocco! And generally speaking, I don't know if I've ever seen such a strong field of contenders. While we wait to see how the regulations on alternative energy vehicles evolve, I have decided to keep things separate for the car we will be preparing with GCK. I want to give myself a chance to win the Dakar. And if in 2025 our car is ready, I will be prepared”. MATHIEU SERRADORI – CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM “The partnership with Century has been accentuated this season because we are going to inherit a vehicle and some of the engineers from the manufacturer. For the first time on the Dakar, Century Racing is providing two cars to support drivers. Brian Baragwanath and myself. We thus hope to reduce the gap with the T1+. We knew we were back in the slack, pulling it. This engine is more linear with more extension, it has a wider range of use. We were able to test the car in Namibia in big dunes representative of what we should find on the Dakar this year and we were happy with the result. Now, we can't wait to see if this evolution will reduce lap times. I no longer consider us private pilots, but we do not yet have the same means as official pilots strictly speaking. We are on the way to professionalisation, on the right path to fight in front, why not in the Top 5?” CHRISTIAN LAVIEILLE – MD RALLYE SPORT “MD Rallye has built us a great performance package. The car shows a lot of potential and it will prove to be very fast. On the other side, we have to be honest with ourselves. As a private team, it will be hard to keep up with the factory teams. Our main goal is just to do the best race possible and we’ll see how far up the order that gets us. I’ve been very happy to have Motul by my side for quite a while now and I'm excited about being able to drive the “Motul car” in the Dakar. In all seriousness, I’m very happy with this car and Motul. Motul is the lubricant maker with the strongest motorsport identity of them all and I’m grateful to be associated with them.” DAVID ZILLE – SOUTH RACING CAN-AM “For us the 2022 Dakar was very good. We brought ourselves the objective: we wanted to enter the top 10 and we were P10. It was a tough race not only physically, but also mentally. You have to maintain concentration every day and a good relationship with the sailor, which is essential. Then we went to Morocco. With all the training we did up to that point, it was necessary to get back in the race car. Although the P11 is not bad, we know that with the pace we have -we even became leaders- that push encourages us to seek an ambitious result in the Dakar." GERARD FARRES GUELL – SOUTH RACING CAN AM “I am excited to continue with the team that has given me everything. It will be my fifth year with South Racing after taking my second podium with them and coming very close to victory in 2022. The SSV has changed my mentality a lot compared to my time on a bike; I was never afraid of it, but I had a lot of respect for the challenge and the danger of this rally. Being in a T4, I can focus more on driving and enjoying the competition. It will never be like motorcycling, which has always been my passion, but I am having a great time. And I am still competitive”. MOLLY TAYLOR – SOUTH RACING CAN AM “I come from a family of motorsports. My grand-father was in rallying and my mother was a four-time Australian champion as a co-driver. I started at the age of 15, so I can say that motorsports are my life. I had always been thinking of doing more off-road. The Dakar was a race I used to watch. I remember sitting on my couch seeing what people had to go through in the middle of nowhere. I learned so much from my first experience at the Dakar and I really can’t wait to build on everything that we’ve learnt. As part of our preparation we also took on the Morocco rally. Let’s get started.” PIETRO CINOTTO – XTREMEPLUS POLARIS FACTORY TEAM “It was amazing to return to the Dakar last year. It was my first time with a SSV, after driving a T2. So, it was a totally different experience. I made a mistake on the second day so the whole race was about catching up and it was a great adventure. Now I have one more year of experience and it’s fresh while my brother [Carlo] hasn’t done the Dakar for 10 years. I’m excited because, finally, the three of us are doing it together again. There is one race, the Dakar, but there is also a competition in the family. That’s the challenge within the challenge, and it’s nice. For sure, if one of us has a problem, we’ll try to help him as much as we can. But we’re here to race, not to enjoy the view and the time together although the desert is amazing. Last year, I discovered a new country. I remember being on top of sand dunes and wherever you looked, 360 degrees, it was sand everywhere.”
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Post by truenorth on Dec 31, 2022 4:47:12 GMT -8
Already at the finish line 120 of the 121 riders who started the #Dakar2023 on a motorcycle.
The Galician Eduardo Iglesias is missing, who should have arrived a long time ago.
Dakar 2023: The pilot Eduardo Iglesias has fallen in the prologue and has fractured both clavicles, he has been transferred by helicopter to the camp hospital. Edu is feeling well within what is possible and his return to Spain is already being organized. Cheer up!
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Post by truenorth on Dec 31, 2022 5:34:27 GMT -8
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Post by Pistola on Dec 31, 2022 15:11:35 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Jan 1, 2023 11:27:27 GMT -8
^I was looking forward for your reports
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Post by Pistola on Jan 1, 2023 11:55:18 GMT -8
NBC will have daily reports on their Peacock channel ..................for those who have it Bummer for Sunderland but good day for Brabec. Politics took out Kamaz in the trucks a while ago.
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Post by truenorth on Jan 1, 2023 13:27:50 GMT -8
The GasGas rider crashed at km 52 of the special and was treated by the medical team. Conscious and fully mobile, however, he suffers from back pain and was airlifted to hospital in Yanbu
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Post by truenorth on Jan 1, 2023 14:04:27 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Jan 1, 2023 15:42:52 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Jan 2, 2023 2:33:27 GMT -8
Toby Price Wild day with my good mate Sundersam crashing, hope your ok buddy and going to miss you in the camper. Rest of the day was smooth and no big issues, at stage end we were 7th but a few penalties were given today and moved into 5th for the stage
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Post by truenorth on Jan 2, 2023 11:35:43 GMT -8
Joan Barreda honda: The Spanish rider will try to continue despite the injury sustained today: "In the last kilometers I hit a rock hard and for a while I hardly felt my foot"
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Post by Pistola on Jan 2, 2023 12:31:42 GMT -8
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Post by olderguysrule on Jan 3, 2023 4:57:44 GMT -8
^^ Hey guys, thanx for the links. Dakar has always been one of my favorite races. A good winter time racing fix. It's only 3 days in and already there's been some crazy s+++ happening. :-)
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Post by Pistola on Jan 3, 2023 12:25:41 GMT -8
More of Stage 2 from NBC.
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Post by Pistola on Jan 3, 2023 12:26:43 GMT -8
Today's Stage 3. Brabec down.
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