[mclaren777]

Given that it's now 2012, I felt it was time for a new motorsports thread.

[Psychotext]

Bring on the power!

[slothmeister]

Well bugger me, those are some cracking shots OP.

[mclaren777]

As the condor flies, almost 5,000 kilometres separate Mar del Plata from Lima. In 2012, the Dakar will be staging a pan-American adventure of more than 9,000 kilometres in total. Unlike previous year's loops, the route will transport the rally from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to those of the Pacific, enabling its competitors to discover new lands and another aspect of South America. The scale of this challenge has also led to a change in the race's format, which will include 14 days of racing in 2012. Constantly guided by the Andes Mountain range, the drivers and riders will be crossing the Atacama, and will experience in particular the diversity of the dunes as they head into Peru.

Total number of vehicles entered: 465
Cars: 171
Motorcycles: 185
Quad bikes: 33
Trucks: 76

[Leunam]

Is there some kind of DVD or Blu-Ray for the rally released every year? I can't watch the highlights when they come on so something like that would be fantastic.

[Ark]

Have you got those pictures in the OP in higher resolution? ;)

[S. L.]

Toyota back at le mans will be super exciting!

[Edmond Dantès]

Yay for a new thread and goodbye to the good old thread of Sub Zero's. Salute.

[SunhiLegend]

2012 Bring it!

[Leunam]

Sunhi never disappoints.

Yay for a new thread and goodbye to the good old thread of Sub Zero's. Salute.

Definitely.

/salute

[Cousteau]

http://espn.go.com/racing/story/_/id...ar-rally-crash

SANTA ROSA, Argentina -- The death of Argentine bike rider Jorge Martinez Boero on Sunday on the first day of the Dakar Rally focused attention on the hazards of one of motor sports' most dangerous events.

Organizers said the 38-year-old died from head and chest injuries during a crash on the first stage.


Details surrounding Martinez Boero's death were not clear, but reports said he may have fallen after running off the course and striking an open sewer line.

[Edmond Dantès]

http://espn.go.com/racing/story/_/id...ar-rally-crash SANTA ROSA, Argentina -- The death of Argentine bike rider Jorge Martinez Boero on Sunday on the first day of the Dakar Rally focused attention on the hazards of one of motor sports' most dangerous events. Organizers said the 38-year-old died from head and chest injuries during a crash on the first stage. Details surrounding Martinez Boero's death were not clear, but reports said he may have fallen after running off the course and striking an open sewer line.

RIP Jorge.

It's always tragic when someone from the motorsports community loses their life.

[GTP_Daverytimes]

Toyota back at le mans will be super exciting!

Toyota then Porsche, who else is returning to le mans.

[ashk]

Toyota then Porsche, who else is returning to le mans.

Nissan was there this year in LMP2 as an engine supplier, there was some speculation they might step up to P1 but there hasn't been any fresh news.

[Leunam]

Purely engines? No factory team yet?

[ashk]

Purely engines? No factory team yet?

IIRC they have some sort of close partnership with the Signatech team, while also providing engines to other teams.

[ANDY_098]

Get Honda, BMW, Nissan, and Corvette to step up to LMP1 and it would be near perfect IMO.

[mclaren777]

Have you got those pictures in the OP in higher resolution? ;)

Yep, I'll share them when I get home.

Sunhi never disappoints.

I couldn't have said it better myself. That GIF is perfect!

[Edmond Dantès]

Get Honda, BMW, Nissan, and Corvette to step up to LMP1 and it would be near perfect IMO.

Ferrari need to return to the big stage in endurance racing, it's been too long since the Ferrari 312PB. The third most successful manufacturer in Le Mans history should be competing at the highest level.

[ANDY_098]

Ferrari need to return to the big stage in endurance racing, it's been too long since the Ferrari 312PB. The third most successful manufacturer in Le Mans history should be competing at the highest level.

I thought about listing them but I really don't see it happening, besides they are having enough trouble with F1 at the moment.

A British team needs to make the step up to LMP1 as well, Aston had a crack at it last year but failed spectacularly.

[Edmond Dantès]

I thought about listing them but I really don't see it happening, besides they are having enough trouble with F1 at the moment. A British team needs to make the step up to LMP1 as well, Aston had a crack at it last year but failed spectacularly.

There was speculation about Jaguar (still regard them as British regardless of Tata's ownership) recently, but they ruled themselves out for the foreseeable future.

[ClassyPenguin]

http://espn.go.com/racing/story/_/id...ar-rally-crash SANTA ROSA, Argentina -- The death of Argentine bike rider Jorge Martinez Boero on Sunday on the first day of the Dakar Rally focused attention on the hazards of one of motor sports' most dangerous events. Organizers said the 38-year-old died from head and chest injuries during a crash on the first stage. Details surrounding Martinez Boero's death were not clear, but reports said he may have fallen after running off the course and striking an open sewer line.

oh crap.
pun not intended.
RIP.

I want to do the Dakar, it's in my bucket-list
of things that I probably won't get to do.

[ANDY_098]

oh crap. pun not intended. RIP. I want to do the Dakar, it's in my bucket-list of things that I probably won't get to do.

Charley Boorman did a decent series which follows him on the 2006 Dakar. It's called Race to Dakar, I recommend watching it if you haven't already. It gives a really good insight from a racers perspective.

[TylerD]

It is a shame that there isn't any more dirt/gravel on the Pikes Peak hill climb course but the interest from so many more drivers has the committee contemplating expanding the race to 2 days in the coming years and they will probably hold qualifying this year to narrow the field.

Monster Tajima's 2011 record is going to be topped for sure. I'm glad I could make it to the race while there still was some gravel last year.

http://www.gazette.com/sports/peak-1...pikes-day.html

Happy New Year to Motorsport GAF and welcome to the 2012 thread.

[Ark]

Yep, I'll share them when I get home.

Can't wait, could use a new wallpaper :)

[ANDY_098]

7 of the 30 quads (including the favourites) in the Dakar were dq'd after scrutineering for having too many modifications making them prototypes. They are currently racing on appeal.

[ashk]

I thought about listing them but I really don't see it happening, besides they are having enough trouble with F1 at the moment. A British team needs to make the step up to LMP1 as well, Aston had a crack at it last year but failed spectacularly.

You might as well cross BMW off that list as well. As much as I would like for them to tackle Le Mans in LMP1 machinery, they seem to have forsaken all of the numerous categories they have competed in for the sake of their DTM return. In the past few years they have pulled out of F1, WTCC, ILMC (WEC from next year) is dropped from next season, Formula BMW support has dropped, and also their support of the Mini WRC effort is pretty low. It's a shame really because I'm a big fan of theirs.

[mclaren777]

It is a shame that there isn't any more dirt/gravel on the Pikes Peak hill climb course but the interest from so many more drivers has the committee contemplating expanding the race to 2 days in the coming years and they will probably hold qualifying this year to narrow the field.

I know somebody who is taking a crack at the Unlimited division in 2012.

http://www.palatov.com/pikespeak/

[Edmond Dantès]

Some vids from the Dakar today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lTWo...HL6DeyfB-BFV3O
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6fgj...NToNcr3poznsEf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeSel...pLKsA9MbpqxfJ5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp35K...xKV2-AntNRGmGs

[SunhiLegend]

Dakar Eurosport Day 1 Show (1/2)

Will upload part 2 soon, recorded off stream.



R.I.P

[Edmond Dantès]

Good preview by Europsport in HD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=Xbpe4eBt9ZU

[ClassyPenguin]

Charley Boorman did a decent series which follows him on the 2006 Dakar. It's called Race to Dakar, I recommend watching it if you haven't already. It gives a really good insight from a racers perspective.

I have and it's very good. I know those series get a lot of criticism from the ADVrider forum but Charley did ride with a broken hand for miles, so he gets a pass from me.

[rhfb]

For anyone in the USA who wants to view some Dakar coverage Versus/NBC Sports has a half hour show every night it seems. On right now (for me at least)

[Dead Man]

I have and it's very good. I know those series get a lot of criticism from the ADVrider forum but Charley did ride with a broken hand for miles, so he gets a pass from me.

Why?

[Shaneus]

Almost always seems like there's a death every year in the Paris-Dakar... but as a non-follower of it, I guess that's all I'd hear. As tragic as it is for anyone to die during the rally, I hope that no-one I'm a fan of gets killed, particularly ex-WRC drivers like Sainz.

Are there other competitors from other "mainstream" sports who traditionally enter or is it mostly just WRC drivers?

[mclaren777]

Are there other competitors from other "mainstream" sports who traditionally enter or is it mostly just WRC drivers?

Very few Dakar entrants are former WRC drivers, even in the "cars" division.

[dalin80]

Has there been a GT3 timetable released as of yet? iam eager to see what the new mclarens can do after a couple of development races last year.

[modulaire]

Almost always seems like there's a death every year in the Paris-Dakar... but as a non-follower of it, I guess that's all I'd hear. As tragic as it is for anyone to die during the rally, I hope that no-one I'm a fan of gets killed, particularly ex-WRC drivers like Sainz.

Unless you are a motorcyclist you will probably not die. If you look at the fatalities in past years, they are almost all bike riders or bystanders. Cars are relatively safe.

[ashk]

Has there been a GT3 timetable released as of yet? iam eager to see what the new mclarens can do after a couple of development races last year.

The McLaren will be competing in GT1 this season as well, as the GT1 championship will be held under GT3 regulations (as strange as it sounds) because of a lack of interest in running actual GT1 machinery. A tentative schedule has already been released for both, you can find it here.

[Dilly]

Is there already more information about that Championship where LeMans 24h now is a part of? Looks interesting.

[Edmond Dantès]

Is there already more information about that Championship where LeMans 24h now is a part of? Looks interesting.

http://www.racedepartment.com/2011/1...-introduction/
http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre...s/fia-wec.aspx
http://www.lemans.org/en/races/fia-w...p/updates.html

[Dilly]

Thank you.

Ooh, it's coming to Spa 5th of may, my chance to see the LMP cars in real life.

[Edmond Dantès]

As the WRC wanes and teeters on the edge of oblivion; Le Mans goes from strength to strength.

[Dead Man]

As the WRC wanes and teeters on the edge of oblivion; Le Mans goes from strength to strength.

Indeed. Why can't there be a strong rally series, strong prototype series, strong formula series, and a strong sportscar series, all at the same time?

[modulaire]

The future of the Le Mans Series looks very bright with these great new teams..

I'm sure Bernie Ecclestone hates this strong competition. :-))

[Dilly]

It really is sad to see how Rally is doing these days.

[Edmond Dantès]

Indeed. Why can't there be a strong rally series, strong prototype series, strong formula series, and a strong sportscar series, all at the same time?

It was like that once, with Group B, Group C, F1 and DTM all pulling in the crowds and doing well on TV as well. But then the FIA started to exert more of their influence on proceedings and now we're left in our current state.

[Edmond Dantès]

I adore older Le Mans posters, so very classy and understated especially compared to the modern day posters.

[dalin80]

It really is sad to see how Rally is doing these days.

Got to feel a bit sorry for loeb as well, guy is putting all the hard work in to win championships and no-one gives a toss as he is the only guy in it.

I cant see how WRC will ever to return to the point where that mcrae et all were household names.

[Dead Man]

It was like that once, with Group B, Group C, F1 and DTM all pulling in the crowds and doing well on TV as well. But then the FIA started to exert more of their influence on proceedings and now we're left in our current state.

Yep.