ASO announce 'Dakar Series'

**uncoversport** · 4th February 2008, 14:46

Well they said it would happen, and it has.

Dakar Rally organiser ASO - who also run the Tour de France bike race - has launched a 'Dakar Series' that will begin this year with an event called Central Europe Rally.

See here for more:
http://www.serviceparknews.com/?c=118&a=1105

**consti** · 4th February 2008, 22:57

just decided to go there!

is anybody with me?

**Fischer** · 4th February 2008, 23:20

Nah I think I'll stick to WRC events.
But to the guys who are going to this event; if you run into some secret American prisoncamps down there in Hungary and Romania, can you also take some pictures of those and post em? Thanks.

**WRCfan** · 5th February 2008, 07:14

Good to see that somehow the Dakar tradition can continue, not in the same form but it's better than nothing. The Dakar was truly a special race and something that if lost, would make motorsport all the poorer for it....

**uncoversport** · 5th February 2008, 07:36

Originally Posted by WRCfan

Good to see that somehow the Dakar tradition can continue, not in the same form but it's better than nothing. The Dakar was truly a special race and something that if lost, would make motorsport all the poorer for it....

Fortunately ASO is set to announce in the next few weeks were the 2009 Dakar rally will be staged - so hopefully we haven't seen the last of the great race.

But what of this 'Dakar Series'? It seems to have sprung from nowhere - perhaps a well planned tactical move from ASO given what happened this year - but has anyone heard anything about the other events that may make up this series?

How many rounds and where?

Sounds like ASO wants to run its own Cross Country Rally World Cup? I wonder if it is trying to dominate, and as a result damage, the motorsport landscape as it has done with its cycling events in that sport?

**consti** · 5th February 2008, 10:30

this year there is an toher ebent planned, most likely it will be in portugal/spain in the autumn.

they hope to make it a four event series from 2009 on with the dakar (maybe in chile/argentina) as the main spectacle....

**GigiGalliNo1** · 5th February 2008, 14:18

welp, there were more terrorist attacked in maritamia soooo lucky then! that they didn't continue...

**seb_sh** · 5th February 2008, 20:44

Seems the Dakar series is a similar idea to the Le Mans Series. From what I know it was only scheduled to start in 2009 but the cancellation of the Dakar sped it up. It seems the main manufacturers are interested so that's great news. Also great news for me is that the Central European Rally passes through my hometown!

**uncoversport** · 5th February 2008, 21:51

Originally Posted by SpooSH

Seems the Dakar series is a similar idea to the Le Mans Series. From what I know it was only scheduled to start in 2009 but the cancellation of the Dakar sped it up. It seems the main manufacturers are interested so that's great news. Also great news for me is that the Central European Rally passes through my hometown!

Wow, that is great news for all of us! We will bring deck chairs and sleeping bags

So will this create a rift with the FIA's World Cup, or will it help further develop this component of rallying?

No surprise that the manufacturers are down with the idea - ASO also owns L'Equipe; it's always good to keep the press on side.