Hier mal ein kleines Update zur Dakar-Ersatzveranstaltung: (Auszug; kpl. pdf im Presskit auf dakar.com)

SPORTING ASPECTS

The Central Europe Rally, first ever competition of the “Dakar Series”, is an off-road rally open to bikes, quad-bikes, cars and trucks. As for all races under the “Dakar Series” label, it has the authority to accommodate the sport’s elite drivers, as well as amateurs wishing to pit themselves against a demanding course.

7 days of competition _ Following a short stay in Budapest, where the teams will be called for technical and administrative checks, on 19 April, then a parade in town, the following day, the competitors will drive towards Romania, where the first competitive special section will be run _ The competition’s programme is tough: drivers will be timed each day in one or two competitive spezial sections, the distance of which is between 60 and 170 km. In Romania, technical ability will be most challenged, on a route sometimes cut by valleys and winding. In Hungary, the parts of the race in forest or in the plains will also demand a keen sense of trajectory. Other parts will invite drivers to push their vehicles to their maximum speeds.

_ At the finish, at Lake Balaton, after 3,000 km of route, 1,500 km of which comprising timed sections, competitors will be invited to a prize-giving gala.

The Dakar 2008 competitors are invited

_ The Central Europe Rally is an invitation-only race, for which competitors enrolled for the Dakar 2008 have priority. They will notably be exonerated from commitment fees. A.S.O. extends its thanks to the drivers and teams for their renewed trust.

_ The race’s different categories and classes are identical to those of the Dakar.

_ Assistance vehicles will be accredited by the rally’s organisation, free of commitment fees. Each evening,

they will have access to an assistance facility, where mechanics will be given open access to work on the race vehicles.

CONDITIONS OF ENROLMENT

_ Enrolment forms can be downloaded from the website www.dakar.com , as of 11 February.

_ Competitors of the Dakar 2008 will be exonerated from commitment fees and will only pay the

application fee (€300).

_ Tariff for all other competitors: €3,000 for a bike, €5,000 for a car, €7,000 for a truck.

 

THE STAGES

Sunday 20 April:

Budapest – Baia Mare Thursday 24 April: Debrecen – Veszprem

Monday 21 April

: Baia Mare – Sovata Friday 25 April: Veszprem – Veszprem

Tuesday 22 April

: Sovata – Sovata Saturday 26 April: Veszprem – Balatonfüred

Wednesday 23 April

: Sovata – Debrecen