Dakar 2027 now in Africa..

[100SRV]

It appears the turmoil in Saudi Arabia has caused a rethink of the route and it will now be a Europe-Africa event according to timeout racing:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&amp...

Or (updated to add non-instagram link):

https://www.timeout-racing.com/post/dakar-2027-upd...

nothing on the ASO website so far.

Edited by 100SRV on Tuesday 20th October 09:21

[v8notbrave]

Interesting, loved watching the helicopter shots for many decades. A sad yet interesting geopolitical journey for this event to stay alive, I think it left Africa due to political instability & violence, left south America due to political instability & budgets and then the Saudi sport washing seems to obvs have its own instability now. Back to the start!

[brillomaster]

Here's an idea, maybe go from a big European city, say, Paris, to a far flung African finish point, maybe, Dakar?

[K50 DEL]

brillomaster said:

Here's an idea, maybe go from a big European city, say, Paris, to a far flung African finish point, maybe, Dakar?

That would be a great idea - I'd certainly make the trip to France to see some of it live.

[Killer2005]

brillomaster said:

Here's an idea, maybe go from a big European city, say, Paris, to a far flung African finish point, maybe, Dakar?

It's too much of a war zone currently. Paris that is.

[100SRV]

v8notbrave said:

Interesting, loved watching the helicopter shots for many decades. A sad yet interesting geopolitical journey for this event to stay alive, I think it left Africa due to political instability & violence, left south America due to political instability & budgets and then the Saudi sport washing seems to obvs have its own instability now. Back to the start!

The streamed footage is good, I watched the reports from timeout racing this year which were a lot more in-depth (understandably) than the official coverage. I've read a couple of books about the event too (circles in the sand and the Lawrence Hacking book, both when it was Africa-based which give both sides of the story) it's a spectacle for sure...

[coppice]

Irony meter off the scale . As an event , it captured the imagination in its early years but the sight of absurdly pumped parodies ripping through empty sand dunes , pursued by helicopters became an increasingly ludicrous one.

[_Rodders_]

brillomaster said:

Here's an idea, maybe go from a big European city, say, Paris, to a far flung African finish point, maybe, Dakar?

I lost interest when it moved.

It would be epic if they could take it back to the Paris Dakar.

[IanUAE]

A friend of mine (Dania Akeel) will be racing the hydrogen powered Hilux.

[moffspeed]

The word over here is that there is a good chance that the P-D will start on the Algarve.

Based at the Algarve Stadium (near Faro), prologue near by & then onwards over the sea to Morocco.

[K50 DEL]

moffspeed said:

The word over here is that there is a good chance that the P-D will start on the Algarve.

Based at the Algarve Stadium (near Faro), prologue near by & then onwards over the sea to Morocco.

That would also be cool, I have a mate who lives in Armacao so could use that as a base!

[early_911]

Will its confirmed - starting in Portugal. I'm going to head out there for a few days . . . only one small stage, but it's easy to get to and should be fun

[Turbobanana]

coppice said:

Irony meter off the scale . As an event , it captured the imagination in its early years but the sight of absurdly pumped parodies ripping through empty sand dunes , pursued by helicopters became an increasingly ludicrous one.

More or less relevant than F1? Or WRC? Or WEC? Just wondering.

[coppice]

Oh , none is relevant to daily life, of course . But the orginal Paris Dakar did have a real spirit of adventure - huge distances, lost cars , navigational skills and phenomenal feats of endurance . And now it seems to be an emasculated version of what made it interesting , with hugely complex machines and teams of PR men wittering on about sustainability

[Turbobanana]

coppice said:

Oh , none is relevant to daily life, of course . But the original Paris Dakar did have a real spirit of adventure - huge distances, lost cars , navigational skills and phenomenal feats of endurance . And now it seems to be an emasculated version of what made it interesting , with hugely complex machines and teams of PR men wittering on about sustainability

Ah, see what you mean. And largely agree, although that could apply to a lot of motorsport nowadays. Don't scoff at the sustainability thing - we need to find ways to keep being able to stuff like this, and anything that can lessen the impact on the environment should be encouraged.

I remain, however, not a tree hugger.