I always look forward to this with the coming of every new year. Its one of the most grueling races that stretches through 2 continents and you'll see the most spectacular pictures of any automotive event anywhere
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/6760/mapgv2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

This years race stretches from Lisbon Portugal to Dakar Senegal its a total of 7 915 km through all types of imaginable terrain.

The 11th stage in Mali had to be taken off for security reasons too this year lol

Race ends on Sunday in Dakar Senegal

edit:

Eric Aubijoux, biker n°26, dies of a cardiac arrest

Eric Aubijoux, biker n°26 died while he was on his way to Dakar after the timed special of stage 14 between Tambacounda and Dakar. :( :(
Jan 20 (Reuters) - Dakar Rally stage 14 provisional results
and standings on Saturday.

Final Results!

Jan 21 (Reuters) - Dakar Rally stage 15 provisional results and final standings on Sunday. (93-km stage starting and finishing in Dakar).

Cars
1. Giniel de Villiers (South Africa) Volkswagen 7:42
2. Carlos Sainz (Spain) Volkswagen 7:44
3. Robby Gordon (U.S.) Hummer 8:08
4. Carlos Sousa (Portugal) Volkswagen 8:24
5. Jean-Louis Schlesser (France) Schlesser-Ford 8:25
6. Freddy Loix (Belgium) Buggy 8:35
7. Jutta Kleinschmidt (Germany) BMW 8:44
8. Michael Petersen (U.S) Buggy 8:49
9. Miguel Barbosa (Portugal) Proto 8:51
10. Nani Roma (Spain) Mitsubishi 8:59

Final Standings
1. Stephane Peterhansel (France) Mitsubishi 45:53:37
2. Luc Alphand (France) Mitsubishi 46:01:03
3. Jean-Louis Schlesser (France) Schlesser-Ford 47:27:34
4. Mark Miller (U.S.) Volkswagen 48:03:53
5. Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan) Mitsubishi 48:38:08
6. Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar) BMW 49:25:36
7. Carlos Sousa (Portugal) Volkswagen 51:04:31
8. Robby Gordon (U.S.) Hummer 52:57:44
9. Carlos Sainz (Spain) Volkswagen 53:19:22
10. Stephane Henrard (Belgium) Volkswagen 54:22:06





Motorcycles
1. Janis Vinters (Latvia) KTM 8:42
2. Pal Anders Ullevalseter (Norway) KTM 8:49
3. Helder Rodrigues (Portugal) Yamaha 9:07
4. Jean de Azevedo (Brazil) KTM 9:10
5. Eric Croquelois (France) Yamaha 9:12
6. David Casteu (France) KTM 9:14
7. Thierry Bethys (France) Honda 9:27
8. Daniel Willemsen (Netherlands) Yamaha 9:31
9. Paulo Goncalves (Portugal) Honda 9:34
10. Kemal Merkit (Turkey) KTM 9:36

Final Standings
1. Cyril Despres (France) KTM 51:36:53
2. David Casteu (France) KTM 52:11:12
3. Chris Blais (U.S.) KTM 52:28:59
4. Pal Anders Ullevalseter (Norway) KTM 53:14:50
5. Helder Rodrigues (Portugal) Yamaha 54:07:34
6. Janis Vinters (Latvia) KTM 54:21:14
7. Michel Marchini (France) Yamaha 54:37:20
8. Thierry Bethys (France) Honda 55:03:26
9. Jaroslav Katrinak (Slovakia) KTM 55:17:03
10. Jacek Czachor (Poland) KTM 56:00:57

(Compiled by Infostrada Sports)

and can't forget the trucks too
http://www.dakar.com/2007/DAK/LIVE/us/1400/classement/CGC.html

Here are some pictures taken from this year

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1548/42434479romaap416gl0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/543/42434473devilliersap416tw9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1764/42434475masuokaap416sd3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/4265/42434485vatanenap416ar6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

and currently my favourite picture from the rally
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6097/42451351dakar416cd4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

oh yeah and i'm also rooting for Peterhansel this year again :D:D

:D if i had the money + time.....
Mitsu owns the dakar rally!

they need to build a special edition pajero(?) road car to leverage their sucsess in the Dakar rally.

Wow those are some awesome pics. Its amazing how those cars and bikes can get over that sort of terrain at high speeds.

they need to build a special edition pajero(?) road car to leverage their sucsess in the Dakar rally.

I thnk they do, I believe it's called the Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution. It has an upside down airplane wing as a spoiler.....

haven't heard of that one...
...is it any better than a normal pajero; ie suspension, engine, brakes, etc?

Just like everybody, except for the Dutch and the Russian people, you forget the trucks.

Current standings for the trucks:
Klassement na de elfde etappe:
1. Hans Stacey,Ned,MAN 47.26.55
2. Ilgizar Mardejev,Rus,Kam + 2.59.36
3. Wulfert van Ginkel,Ned,Ginaf + 4.24.38
4. Ales Loprais,Tsj,Tatra + 4.55.09
5. Andre de Azevedo,Bra,Tat + 5.11.15
7. Philippe Jacquot,Fra,MAN + 6.04.52
http://www.rtl.nl/sport/dakar2007/components/fotos/images/426x282_Etappe12_14.jpg

i think the trucks are hilarious
they are like a comedy mallet of the racing world.
do bowler compete in the dakar.

^^^You should ride one of those trucks and youd see they arent that hilarious!!
Last Minute Notice - Marc Coma (Catalan like me) crashed, fell unconscious and has retired. They took him in helicopter to the hospitality.

Thlam, any idea where that last picture was taken? It's spectacular.

Got the pics off the BBC site it was taken in Mauritania , e-cookie for anybody that can find large size version!

For some reason, I thought Dakar was in Central Africa.
ANd is it possible for a monster truck to compete?
Like this kind of monster truck....
http://i.xanga.com/suctionx/DSC03464.JPG

dunno, they'd probably have to start a new class. but fuel economy would be a problem for the monster trucks.

The one thing I don't understand about the Dakar Rally is, is how do they get to the finish of each stage? Is there a set route for each stage, because at some stages they seem to drive on the wide open desert and in some shots there's been 3 or 4 WD strewn over vast plains.

There are certain check point that must be passed at each stage but how you get there its your choice pretty much

Yesterday Eric Aubijoux(motor) died after a hard attack during the race. It was the second death this year, and the 25th in the history of Dakar...

Yesterday Eric Aubijoux(motor) died after a hard attack during the race. It was the second death this year, and the 25th in the history of Dakar...

51 deaths in total.

For some reason, I thought Dakar was in Central Africa.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Paris_dakar_rally_countries.PNG/475px-Paris_dakar_rally_countries.PNG

^Most times its been through France, Spain and Noth Western African countries. In 2003 it finished in Egypt and in 1992 in South Africa. The orange countries were only crossed in the 1992 rally. Red countries shows all the countris the Paris-Dakar rally has crossed over its history.

ANd is it possible for a monster truck to compete?
Like this kind of monster truck....


What is the fuel consumption of a monster truck?? No way they could compete and if they did theyd have no option of winning as lots of times routes are narrow dirt roads (they do cross open desert but thats only part of the whole race). And could monster trucks run during 5 hours under the sun with temperatures of 60ºC?? No.

51 deaths in total.

I'm talking about competitors, not spectators etc.

There are certain check point that must be passed at each stage but how you get there its your choice pretty much

Damn, must be hard to get to individual checkpoints, considering you can go anywhere and you have to find them.

Although I suppose they have a general route mapped out before hand though.

looks like fun, bt the baja 1000 is better. 1000 miles ( 1 609.344 kilometers)

i plan on racing it. If i feel like getting a bunch of shots and risking malaria and god knows what other deseases I might go over and try that one. but, baja is nearer home and less desease dangers

There is no way the Baja 1000 is a better race, the Dakar rally stretches through two continents and almost 8000kms of the harshest conditions for a car and its driver.

is anybody driving the FJ cruiser in the Dakar? because i heard 2 teams drove one during the Baja 1000.